LDF sounds poll bugle

Right from the time when CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan arrived at the venue, V K Auditorium in Aryanad, the body language of those attending the convention appeared to be tepid. There was neither spirited sloganeering by activists escorting him to the hall nor by those seated inside when he entered the auditorium.

There was enthusiasm among the activists for a brief period when the candidate arrived. The stage was crammed with state and local leaders so much so that a new row had to be created to accommodate Kodiyeri and others. R. Balakrishna Pillai’s arrival enthused the audience. “Such overcrowding on the stage is seen only during UDF meetings. But it’s now a common scene here as well,” quipped an RSP (M) leader.

But the presence of an array of Left leaders, particularly CPM biggies, indicated that the stakes are high in Aruvikkara. Kannur strongman E.P. Jayarajan, M.V. Govindan Master, T.N. Seema MP, K. Radhakrishnan, Vaikom Viswan, Raju Abraham MLA and Anathalavattom Anandan all sat through the entire proceedings.

Kodiyeri launched a scathing attack on the UDF government accusing Chandy of declaring a war on the people. “Four years of UDF and one year of Modi government have led to a series of anti-people policies,” he said and added that corruption, unemployment, development freeze and threat to women security have been the hallmark of the Chandy government.

He said the government had failed to intervene in the market and contain price rise. “We spent Rs 600 crore for market intervention during five years but the UDF has given just Rs 100 crore during the last four years. The pension of KSRTC workers is pending for four months, coir workers and fish workers are in crisis,” he said.

Kodiyeri mocked at the abkari policy saying that even A.K. Antony had stated recently that 30 per cent of the houses in Kerala had turned into bars. “CM’s staff went to jail, CBI arrested his former gun man today, finance minister is next and the CM will also land there soon,” he said.

He told the audience that Pinarayi Viajayan and V.S. Achuthanandan would soon join the election campaign. Many in the constituency felt that Achuthanandan could have given a flying start to the LDF campaign had he been invited to inaugurate the convention on Wednesday.

His absence was notable. Kodiyeri attacked the Congress for shying away from debating serious political issues and banking on the sympathy wave. “Just days after the death of G. Karthikeyan, UDF MLAs stuffed ladoos into each other’s mouths in the Assembly. That is the respect they have for the departed leader. If they were so concerned about Karthikeyan’s legacy then the UDF could have given one of the Rajya Sabha seats to Sabarinathan instead of pushing him into heat and dust of elections,” he said.

The biggest applause was reserved for Kerala Congress (B) leader Balakrishna Pillai. But he too had the same old stories of corruption of Oommen Chandy which he had narrated over and over again in recent gatherings. Coming from a person who was convicted in the Idamalayar corruption case, not many in the crowd were convinced about his accusation of corruption against others.

Pillai attacked O. Rajagopal saying the BJP veteran had set a record of sorts by contesting three times during the current Assembly period-- from Nemom, Neyyattinkara and now Aruvikkara.

Though a section of LDF leaders is wary of the voter reaction to their association with Pillai, the leadership believes that being one of the founder members of the Congress- led front, his revelations were quite damaging for the chief minister and would ultimately benefit the Left.

But the hero of the meet was NCP president Uzhavoor Vijayan who called for action against the BJP leadership for torturing senior citizen Rajagopal. Mathew T. Thomas of Janata Dal (Secular), Kadanapally Ramachandran of Congress (S), Scaria Thomas of Kerala Congress anti-merger, besides K.R. Aravindakshan and Babu Divakaran took part in the meet.