LDF in a tizzy

Twenty years. That is how long the Left Democratic Front (LDF) held Paravur.

But after he won the Assembly election in 1996, Congress firebrand leader V.D. Satheesan has been a thorn in the flesh for the LDF with the size of his majority only increasing in the three successive terms thereafter.

In most early polls, the constituency had always witnessed a keenly contested battle between the two major political coalitions since 1957. But the contest became virtually one-sided since Mr. Satheesan made his debut. By all indications, Mr. Satheesan continues to sit pretty this time too, even as the search is on for a worthy opponent.

While the Congress remains upbeat here, the CPI, which has been assigned the constituency in the LDF, appears to be in a tizzy over selecting a candidate capable of wresting back this one-time red bastion.

But even a seasoned CPI leader such as Pannian Raveendran, who came here to contest last time while he was the party State secretary, bit the dust conceding a mammoth defeat. Notwithstanding the record, the CPI nurses hopes of reviving its fortunes by making a judicious usage of the coalition machinery.

For long a bit player in the electoral arena, the BJP is eyeing significant gains in its vote share riding piggyback on the candidate of the Vellappally Natesan-led BDJS. The saffron party is also trying to exploit the open spats that the sitting MLA had with Hindu Aikyavedi leaders and Mr. Natesan.

The constituency comprises Varappuzha, Vadakkekara, Puthenvelikkara Kottuvally, Ezhikkara, Chittatukara, and Chendamangalam grama panchayats and the Paravur municipality.