THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just two days left for campaigning in crucial Aruvikkara bypoll, all major candidates are making all out efforts to woo the 1.77 lakh voters in the constituency.
K S Sabarinathan UDF, M Vijayakumar LDF and O Rajagopal BJP are criss-crossing eight panchayats atop modified campaign “rathams”.
An array of issues including sympathy factor, corruption, Achuthanandan factor, Vizhinjam, rising prices, fuel price hike, lack of infrastructure facilities, Modi government’s achievements and failures have been discussed over and over again. Having bombarded voters right, left and centre with these issues, the common man on the street appears to be confused or is cleverly hiding his opinion.
Who will win ? This simple question often evokes a standard diplomatic reply; “all are capable of winning” reminding one of Prannoy Roy's popular comment - Kerala voter is psephologist’s nightmare.
But the reaction of MNREGA workers near Mundela, who stopped work to have a glimpse of actor Innocent, did reflect the mood among a section of women voters.
“There wouldn't have been sympathy for UDF had someone outside Karthikeyan’s family contested. His son is yet to be tested, so we reserve our judgment on him,” said one of them.
At a “chai pe charcha” at a thattukada near Puthukulangara, a group of middle aged people seemed uninterested in the LDF campaign nearby. “All are thieves,” said a dejected farmer, lazily puffing a cigarette as others nodded.
However, they held Karthikeyan in high esteem for his integrity. As for Sabarinathan, most of them believe he is a qualified young person. About 25 km away in Panniyode, K S Sabarinathan, braving heavy afternoon showers, tries to invoke his father’s contribution at each point.
On the other hand LDF is trying hard to bring UDF Government’s corruption to the centre stage to overcome sympathy factor. Achuthanandan is going to voters with a single point agenda “corruption”. Though UDF leadership had ignored VS initially, it is now wary of the veteran leader’s campaign.
V M Sudheeran, M M Hassan trained their guns on Achuthaandan questioning his fight against corruption in the company of Balakrishna Pillai who was convicted in corruption case.
The LDF leaders are, however, hopeful of turning the by poll into a hardcore political battle in next two days. The BJP on the other hand is back to its “give us a chance” campaign against the “equally bad” UDF and LDF.
