Thiruvananthapuram: Setting a new record in Kerala, political rivals the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are together fielding nine sitting MLAs for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. While six of the MLAs belong to the LDF, the rest are UDF members. These MLAs represent Assembly constituencies from where they have been winning regularly and also seats they had captured from the rival front after a tough fight earlier.
In case all the nine MLAs secure victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the state will witness a major by-election. But both fronts will find it hard to identify suitable candidates for the constituencies which they had been holding for long periods.
Earlier the state had witnessed the contest of maximum number of MLAs -- three each -- only in the 1952 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The upcoming poll has broken this record.
The LDF MLAs who are contesting this time are A M Arif (Aroor Assembly constituency), Veena George (Aranmula), A Pradeep Kumar (Kozhikode North), P V Anwar (Nilambur), C Divakaran (Nedumangad) and Chittayam Gopakumar (Adoor). From the UDF side, K Muraleedharan (Vattiyoorkavu), Adoor Prakash (Konni) and Hibi Eden (Ernakulam) have entered the fray. Parties have chosen sitting MLAs who enjoy wide popularity to contest the Lok Sabha poll as they feel that a victory is imperative.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, only two MLAs were fielded by the fronts. While Kundara MLA M A Baby of the CPM took on RSP nominee N K Premachandran in Kollam, Thiruvalla MLA Mathew T Thomas battled Kerala Congress (M) candidate Jose K Mani in Kottayam seat. However, as both the sitting MLAs lost, by-elections were not necessary.
Earlier, in 2009, three Assembly members belonging to the Congress had made a bid to enter the Lok Sabha. They were K Sudhakaran in Kannur, K C Venugopal in Alappuzha and K V Thomas in Ernakulam. All of them won. In the Assembly by-polls held subsequently, A P Abdullakutty emerged victorious in Kannur, A A Shukoor in Alappuzha and Dominic Presentation in Ernakulam.
An insult to voters: BJP
Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that the decision of the LDF and the UDF to field sitting MLAs in the Lok Sabha polls amounted to an insult to the people who had elected them to the Assembly. “Members of the Legislative Assembly contesting for the Parliament elections before completing their term is a sign of total disregard for democratic principles,” said BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai.
A look at the MLAs and the Lok Sabha constituencies where they will be contesting this time:
C Divakaran - Thiruvananthapuram
CPI has selected its Nedumangad MLA C Divakaran to fight for the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat. Both the political fronts had tasted victory alternately in Nedumangad and Divakaran’s lead over Palode Ravi of the Congress was 3,621 votes in 2016.
Divakaran was chosen for Thiruvananthapuram after elaborate discussions. CPI believes that the wide connections Divakaran have in the constituency would help him take on two-time MP Shashi Tharoor of the Congress.
A M Arif - Alappuzha
A M Arif, the LDF nominee for Alappuzha, has been holding the fort for the CPM in the Aroor Assembly seat since 2006. Shanimol Usman of the Congress is his opponent in the Lok Sabha polls. In the 2016 Assembly polls, Arif had humbled C R Jayaprakash of the Congress by a whopping 38,519 votes. Five years previously, he had defeated A A Shukoor of the Congress by a margin of 16,852 votes. He also created history by edging the legendary K R Gowriamma by 4,753 votes back in 2006.
Adoor Prakash - Attingal
Long-time Konni MLA Adoor Prakash of the Congress has his job cut out – capture Attingal from LDF, which has been registering continuous victories in this southern Lok Sabha constituency. UDF believes that the community factor would work in its favour with Prakash contesting. His opponent in Attingal is sitting MP, A Sampath of the CPM.
Prakash had a margin of 20,748 votes over Sanal Kumar of the CPM in the 2016 polls to the Kerala Assembly. Earlier in 2011, Prakash had defeated M S Rajendran of the CPM by 7,774 votes. Back in 2006, the Congress leader had edged V R Sivarajan (CPM) by 14,895 votes. Five years before that, he had trounced Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan with a margin of 14,050 votes. Prakash’s victory in 1996 was by 806 votes. His opponent was A Padmakumar of the CPM.
Chittayam Gopakumar - Mavelikkara
It was Chittayam Gopakumar who had captured the Adoor Assembly seat for the CPI in 2011. His margin over Pandalam Sudhakaran of the Congress was 607 votes. In 2016, Gopkumar increased his lead manifold. He secured 25,460 votes more than K K Shaju of the Congress.
LDF is pinning its hopes on the developmental activities carried out by Gopakumar in Adoor to earn a win for the LDF in Mavelikkara this time. LDF’s opponent is sitting MP Kodikkunnil Suresh.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan of the Congress had registered four consecutive victories from the Adoor assembly seat in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006.
Veena George - Pathanamthitta
LDF has chosen Veena George, the MLA of Aranmula, to capture the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat. Aranmula has a history of favouring both the LDF and UDF. Veena, a media person, was an unexpected candidate in the 2016 assembly polls. She went on to defeat Sivadasan Nair of the Congress by 7,646 votes. LDF hopes Veena’s popularity and the caste and communal factors would ensure her victory this time too.
Hibi Eden - Ernakulam
Hibi Eden was among the leading contenders for the Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat in 2009, but missed it by a whisker. Now, he has received the call ignoring the protest raised by sitting MP K V Thomas.
During the 2016 Assembly polls, Hibi had thrashed Anil Kumar of the CPM by 21,949 votes. Earlier, in 2011, his victory over Sebastian Paul of the LDF was by 32,437 votes.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Hibi’s LDF rival is former Rajya Sabha MP, P Rajeev of the CPM.
A Pradeep Kumar - Kozhikode
Kozhikode North MLA A Pradeep Kumar is fighting to capture the Kozhikode Lok Sabha seat from M K Raghavan of the Congress. In the 2016 Assembly polls, Pradeep had trounced P M Suresh Babu of the Congress with a majority of 27,873 votes. Five years earlier, Pradeep had defeated P V Gangadharan of the Congress by 8,998 votes. In 2006, Pradeep had a lead of 7,705 votes over Sujanapal of the Congress in Kozhikode – 1 Assembly seat.
K Muraleedharan - Vadakara
K Muraleedharan was selected by the Congress to contest the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly seat in 2011 in a surprise move. He went on to defeat LDF Independent Cherian Philip by 16,167 votes. In 2016, the lead fluctuated wildly all through the counting process and finally, Muraleedharan emerged victorious with a lead of 7,622 votes over Kummanam Rajasekharan of the BJP. T N Seema of the CPM finished third.
When the selection of the Congress candidate for the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat was delayed this time, the party picked Muraleedharan as its trump card. There were demands from the party rank and file for a strong candidate to trounce CPM leader P Jayarajan. In case Muraleedharan wins in Vadakara, Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency will witness a fierce bypoll.
P V Anwar - Ponnani
Independent P V Anwar has entered the fray in Ponnani Lok Sabha seat after winning the Nilambur Assembly constituency, which was the pocket borough of Aryadan Muhammed of the Congress. Anwar, a former Youth Congress leader, had defeated Aryadan Shoukath of the Congress by a margin of 11,504 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. He had contested as an LDF independent candidate at that time.
