People across Kerala heaved a sigh of relief as the strenuous campaign for the Lok Sabha election to be held in the State came to an end by Wednesday evening.
The Grand Finale of the campaign concluded by 6 pm on Wednesday and the State goes to the poll on Friday to elect 20 candidates as members of the Lok Sabha. The campaign was by and large peaceful except for bomb blasts in the district of Kannur which claimed the life of a local CPI(M) leader. According to the police, the bomb exploded while it was being assembled by the professional explosive experts under the party leadership. On Tuesday, the police seized a dozen ‘steel bombs’ stored secretly in a property belonging to a supporter of the party.
The last three days of the campaign saw the CPI(M), Congress and Muslim League unleashing a high pitch propaganda against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his election rally speech delivered at Rajasthan. Starting from Mallikarjun Kharge, the AICC president to M M Mani, the CPI(M) MLA and leaders of the Muslim League termed Modi’s speech as hate speech and declared that they would teach the Prime Minister a lesson after June 4.
What stood out in the three weeks long campaign was the claims by the sitting MPs about the number of development programs and infrastructure development measures implemented by them during the last five years and the BJP’s State leadership had a hearty laugh. “There was no allegation that the Centre was showing discrimination to Kerala in allocation of funds for development projects,” said P Sujathan, veteran journalist and political observer.
While the Congress leaders like V D Satheesan, M M Hassan, Ramesh Chennithala claimed that the UDF led by the Congress would sweep all the 20 seats at stake, M V Govindan, the CPI(M) state secretary claimed that there was no doubt about the LDF’s victory in any of the constituencies. If Govindan’s claim is to be believed, the Muslim League stronghold of Malappuram and Ponnani (popularly known as Kerala’s Pakistan) would see the two constituencies ditching E T Mohammed Basheer and Abdussamad Samadani, an unlikely proposition.
Though previous Lok Sabha polls were fought between the two fronts led by the CPI(M) and the Congress, what makes the 2024 polls unique is the challenge thrown at both the fronts by the BJP. There is a strong Narendra Modi wave in most constituencies though one may not be able to forecast whether this wave would turn into seats. If public perception is any indication, the BJP has emerged as a force to reckon with in four to five constituencies. Harikiran Muraleedharan, a young lawyer and keen follower of the State’s politics is of the view that the 19 April disruption of Thrissur Pooram at the instance of a CPI(M) MLA, a powerful minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan Government have played havoc with the prospectus of both the Congress and the CPI candidates.
“Please remember that this district has two ministers and they failed miserably to ensure the smooth conduct of the Pooram. This has not gone down well with the devotees,” said Harikiran.
Sujathan, who has no love lost for the BJP, is of the view that there were seven constituencies which is witnessing tough fight between the three fronts. “In earlier elections, the BJP competed as also rans but not anymore. Don’t be surprised if the Hindutva party wins in two constituencies this time,” he told The Pioneer.
What is baffling the electorate in the State is the decision of the trio from New Delhi (Sitaram Yechury, Prakash and Brinda Karat ) to call off their campaign meetings within two days and return to Delhi.
“Either they are confident of a 20-0 win by the LDF or a dismal failure in the hustings. No polls in the State were complete without the presence of these three intelligentsia from national capital,” said Sujathan.
Mallikarjun Kharge, who was in the State on Wednesday for campaigning refused to repky to queries by reporters that who were the rivals of the Congress. “Better you ask the KPCC leaders,” retorted the AICC chief.
