With the Election Commission’s announcement of bypolls to five Legislative Assembly constituencies in the State, all eyes are now on Manjeswaram. The seat fell vacant in October 2018 following the demise of P.B. Abdul Razak of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
The constituency adjoining the Karnataka border had gained importance, especially after a close-run battle between the UDF, NDA, and the LDF in 2016.
Though Mr. Razak won by garnering 56,870 votes, which is 37% of the total votes cast, the BJP’s K. Surendran managed to gain 56,781 votes (35.7%). He lost the election by just 89 votes. The LDF’s C.H. Kunhambu went to the third position with 42,565 votes (26.8%).
However, Mr. Surendran moved the High Court in 2017 alleging that bogus votes had been cast. The case was withdrawn a few months after the death of the IUML leader in 2018. But it delayed the by-election by a year even as there is a provision to conduct the election in six months.
The Manjeswaram constituency, comprising Manjeswaram, Vorkady, Meenja, Mangalpady, Paivalike, Kumbala, Puthige and Enmakaje panchayats, has been a stronghold of the UDF for quite some time. While Manjehwar, Vorkady, Menja, Mangalpady, Kumbala and Enmakaje panchayats are governed by the UDF, the LDF has the rest of the panchayats.
However, the constituency has always thrown a surprise and has a tradition of supporting different political fronts. In the first election, Umesh Rao of the Karnataka Samiti won without any opposition in 1957. Karnataka Samiti’s K. Mahabala Bhandary defeated K. Amappa Master of the CPI later. In 1965 and 1967, he defeated M. Ramanna Rai of the CPI(M) .
But in 1970, Manjeswaram witnessed a change, and Mr. Ramappa, who stood for the Left front, won the election defeating U.P. Kunikullaya of the Karnataka Samiti. The Left front continued to hold the constituency in 1977, 1980, and 1982.
In 1987, the political scenario witnessed a shift, and Cherkalam Abdullah of the UDF won the election and continued his hold till 2006, when he was defeated by C.H. Kunhambu of the CPI(M).
However, in 2011, the constituency was back again in the fold of the UDF, with P.B. Adul Razak winning the election.
