THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The million-dollar question facing the UDF in Konni is whether Congress strongman Adoor Prakash will prove its nemesis in the constituency. A bad omen for the front came on Saturday when Adoor Prakash and his loyalist Robin Peter stayed away from the grand finale of the campaign for its candidate P. Mohanraj. It may be recalled that Adoor Prakash’s nominee Robin Peter was dropped in favour of former Pathanamthitta DCC president Mohanraj under pressure from the NSS.
A tug of war had been going on between Adoor Prakash MP, who is also five-time Konni MLA, over the candidate selection. Mohanraj belongs to the ‘A’ camp while the sitting seat belongs to the ‘I’ group.
A KSU leader allegedly threatened Mohanraj for humiliating Robin Peter in his native place, Prama-dam grama panchayat, where Mohanraj took out a vehicle rally and received a cold welcome.
BJP candidate K. Surend-ran, who tasted defeat in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha elections, made a high-pitched campaign backed by his mentor V. Muraleedharan, Union minister. But the NSS support to the UDF has dampened his prospects. NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair wants to defeat K. Surendran in Konni and CPM’s V. K. Prasanth in Vattiyoorkavu, said a Congress source.
The LDF campaign was on a low key with Pathanamthitta CPM district secretary K. P. Udayabhanu and Aranmula MLA Veena George not actively participating in the programmes. Udayabhanu had eyed the seat which was given to K. U. Janeesh Kumar, DYFI vice-president. Janeesh has the backing of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan.
