Kozhikode: The early announcement of candidates has helped the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to gain an edge over the United Democratic Front (UDF) as well as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Kerala ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. While the UDF is set to announce its candidates by Saturday evening, the NDA candidate selection has been left to the Central leadership.
When the CPM fielded its strongest candidates in constituencies with utmost calculation (sitting MLAs as well as senior leaders), Congress is still awaiting the final call from the High Command after taking into account the demands of the 'A' and 'I' groups. The confusion in the rival fronts has made the path of LDF easy in the first phase of the electioneering. The CPM is way ahead in residence groups campaigns as well as the social media campaign.
CM to spearhead campaign
According to party sources, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be the leading figure and is expected to personally attend the campaigns in all 20 constituencies in the state. They are planning to organise 25,000 family gatherings in just three days.
Soon after the constituency conventions are over, the party will start booth-level campaigns. The family gatherings would include all the allies of the LDF.
Annually, the CPM used to observe EMS Day (March 19 is the death anniversary of EMS Namboodiripad) and AKG Day (March 22 is the death anniversary of AK Gopalan) from March 19 to 22. This year, these four days would be converted into public as well as family gatherings. Apart from the chief minister, all the ministers would also attend these meets in every constituency.
The candidates would take out their major campaigns in respective constituencies as well as the public gatherings with the presence of senior leaders from the start of next month. The LDF has started the social media campaign as well as the traditional graffiti for its candidates.
The UDF, on the other hand, could not even cash in on the visit of AICC chief Rahul Gandhi, as he could not introduce the candidates to the public in the huge Jana Maha Rally which kick-started the party's election campaign in Kozhikode on Thursday. The A/I equations as well as infighting, lack of confidence of the senior leaders and reluctance to add youngsters and female candidates are hindering the party's chances.
The confusion over the selection of candidates has put the NDA also on the back foot in the state. Only in Thiruvananthapuram, where it has brought back former BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, after he relieved the Mizoram governor post, the alliance is sure of its candidate. In Pathanamthitta, names of party state president P S Sreedharan Pillai as well as general secretary K Surendran are on the probable list. The infighting in BJP is delaying the candidate selection as well as the campaigning.
