Hectic campaigns heat up Malappuram

Malappuram: The electioneering for the Malappuram Lok Sabha by-poll has picked up momentum with all the three  fronts in the fray engaging in hectic campaigning throughout the constituency from Monday.     Muslim League state president Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal launched the Assembly constituency- level campaign at Chattiparamba for  UDF candidate P.K. Kunhalikutty, who is well ahead of his rivals . The UDF plans to cover all the seven Assembly constituencies  before April 3. The voting is slated for April 12.

LDF candidate M.B. Faisal has also begun the second phase  of his campaign which will be concluded on March 31.  The top leaders of the  CPM and LDF will  land here in the  first week of April  and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will address the election meetings at various places on April 6  and 7.  CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will  camp here for five days in the first week of April. Senior CPM leader V.S. Achuthanandan is also slated to visit the constituency,  but the date is not finalised yet. Besides,   ministers and MLAs would also participate in the booth-level family meets in the constituency.

NDA candidate N. Sreeprakash  started house visits and family meetings on Monday after completing two rounds of campaign in the  seven Assembly segments.  The third phase of his campaign will conclude on Saturday.  The three fronts are pinning their hopes on the increase in the number of voters in the   constituency. As per the latest electoral role published last week, 1, 14,975 voters have been added to the list  after the 2014 general elections. There are a  total of  13,12,693 voters in the  constituency.