If publicity blitzkrieg is a measure of the intensity of electoral battles, then the fight for Thrithala Assembly constituency is undoubtedly the toughest in Kerala.
Hoardings, posters and graffiti of incumbent legislator V T Balram of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and his rivals M B Rajesh of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Shanku T Das of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) occupy vantage points on busy streets, market places and bus halting stations all over the constituency. As if that were not enough, all the three camps have erected large sized cut-outs and billboards of their candidates in the vast expanse of the harvested paddy fields.
'Balram is always with you' (Ennum Oppamundu Balram) is UDF's catch phrase while LDF is harping on its pan-Kerala campaign slogan 'For sure, it is LDF' (Urappanu LDF).
But the Left Front's campaign materials look different in Thrithala. Here, sketches of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader AK Gopalan, popularly known as AKG, have been juxtaposed with the colourful images of M B Rajesh (Pinarayi Vijayan shares the hoarding space with the candidates elsewhere). This is being deliberately done to remind the electorate of Balram's controversial comments on the late CPM leader.
Balram wrote on Facebook in 2018 that AKG was a paedophile who fell in love with his second wife Susheela Gopalan when she was just 13 years old.
CPM protested against the comments both on social media and off it. The party has been boycotting Balram since then and this has affected the launch of several public utility projects in Thrithala constituency.
The emotive issue finds occasional mention in the LDF's election campaign meetings too.
"My symbol is sickle and hammer. It was the symbol of our beloved AKG," Rajesh said at a late night campaign meeting in Kannanthali in Kappur panchayat on Friday.
"I promise to serve you like AKG served people," he said at another meeting in Vezhoorkkunnu in the same panchayat.
Balram says CPM is raking up the AKG issue to divert public attention from many burning topics. "The CPM has been boycotting me since 2018. The panchayats ruled by the party did not invite me for any functions during this period. Making my Facebook post an election issue shows CPM's political bankruptcy," he said.
Balram said Kerala wants to discuss the denial of jobs to the youth, nepotism in government appointments and the denial of justice to the two kids who were raped and murdered at Walayar in Palakkad, but the CPM in Thrithala is afraid of addressing them. "That is why they are haunting me for a Facebook post written three years ago."
But a local CPM leader in Thrithala denied the allegations. "Balram's insensitive comments had deeply hurt party workers who revere AKG. This is indeed an election issue."
CPM hopes that bringing back the sensitive issue during the election will energise party cadres and help it win maximum number of votes.
Thrithala is in Pattamby Taluk of Palakkad district. Since 1991, the constituency had elected CPM leaders four times (1991, 1996, 2001, 2006). In 2011, Balram scored an upset win over senior CPM leader P Mammikkutty by 3,197 votes. Balram retained the seat in 2016 with a higher margin of 10,547 votes.
Data suggests that LDF enjoys a slight edge over UDF and this makes the contest between Balram and Rajesh quite interesting.
In 2019 Lok Sabha election, UDF's winning candidate from Ponnani constituency, E T Muhammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League, could muster a lead of 8,404 votes from Thrithala Assembly segment. This means that UDF lost 2,143 votes in three years after Balram's 2016 victory. In the local body polls in December 2020, LDF collected 6,822 more votes than the UDF. However, both the fronts are ruling four gram panchayats each in the constituency.
NDA does not stand a chance to win Thrithala, but it hopes to increase its vote share as in previous elections.
The coalition's candidate got 5,899 votes in 2011. It rose to 14,510 in the 2016 Assembly election and 21,838 in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.
Campaign issues
With the campaign entering the final phase, Balram, Rajesh and Shanku are focussing on micro-level voter management by attending small village corner gatherings.
M B Rajesh talks mainly about the welfare schemes of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. "Only Pinarayi's government could distribute welfare pensions and food kits efficiently," he told a gathering in Kallikkunnu in Kappur panchayat on Friday where mainly women were in attendance. "The government cares much about you and that is why I am urging you to elect me. It will bring the LDF government back to power and prosperity to all of us," he said.
In another gathering in nearby Amettikkara, Rajesh blamed Balram for not bringing development to Thrithala. "What did he do in the past five years? Development is an alien word here. Thrithala is the meeting place of two rivers, but drinking water scarcity is haunting people here. All these issues will be sorted out if you elect me," he said.
Balram is not as aggressive as his LDF counterpart while addressing street meetings, but he dwells mainly on the development brought by him. He takes utmost care not to blame his opponents.
"We have solved the water crisis with 11,000 new water connections in the constituency. We now have a government college here. I have given my best to bring development despite the CPM boycott. I need your continued support," he tells the crowd at Mannarapparambu in Kappur panchayat.
He also mentions his initiatives to bring succour to people during the floods and COVID-induced lockdown. "We stood together during the crisis time. Let's continue to stay together," he said at Thottazhiyam in Ankara panchayat on Saturday.
NDA candidate Shanku blames LDF and UDF for the stalemate in development activities. "They are fighting each other over an insignificant Facebook post. They don't have time to address people's concerns. My victory will ensure holistic development of the constituency," he says.
The presence of prominent leaders added glitter to the contest in Thrithala.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed a rally at Koottanadu on March 20 in which he blamed UDF and BJP for trying to scuttle government's initiatives to improve people's living standards. "That is why they are raising allegations against Life Mission and Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund, or KIIFB," he said.
Thousands of UDF workers gathered to welcome Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Koottanad on March 26. Gandhi dwelled on UDF's resolve to give Rs 72,000 to poor people in Kerala under the Nyuntam Aay Yojana, or NYAY scheme. He also blamed Pinarayi Vijayan government for failing to address the issues of job aspirants in the state.
BJP leader V Muraleedharan addressed a gathering on March 27, in which he spoke about the bribery allegations against the CPM leaders in Kerala.
Crucial Votes
NDA's Shanku claims he is up against two non-believers and minority-appeasers. "I hope to garner Hindu votes because I stood to protect traditions at Sabarimala (He was in the forefront of agitations against women's entry in 2018). When Balram and Rajesh opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), I opposed those protests and defended the government as a true nationalist. My works will fetch me Hindu votes," he said.
But both the fronts appear to be little worried about the BJP votes.
"If BJP collects all their cadre votes, then I will win," Balram said.
But he raised doubts of an unholy nexus between BJP and CPM. "RSS leader Balashankar had revealed the secret pact between CPM and BJP. Thrithala is an ideal constituency to implement the deal," he said.
M B Rajesh refused to comment on the issue.
A local CPM leader, who preferred anonymity, however, denied allegations of BJP-CPM tie-up. "Balram is making wild allegations as his defeat is certain," he said.
But both Rajesh and Balram are eyeing a share of the crucial minority votes. Both the leaders had firmly stood with minority communities during the protest against CAA and NRC.
Balram had taken the initiative to organise one of the first protests against CAA-NRC in Kerala in Thrithala.
But Muslim voters seem to be confused about their choice.
"Both Rajesh and Balram are good leaders. So I will check their winnability before casting my ballot," said Muhammed Ali, who runs a hotel in Koottanadu. "Both are secular, but I want to ensure that my vote will not go waste."
