Malappuram: The official campaign of P.V Anwar, the LDF candidate in Ponnani Lok Sabha constituency, was launched at Kottakkal in the district on Thursday evening. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan inaugurated the meet.
He termed the general election a political fight and said that LDF was all set to defeat the IUML’s candidate in Ponnani, where a fierce fight is expected this time.
“Earlier, the defeat of UDF candidate in Ponnani was a Herculean task for the LDF. However, the past elections had shown a steady growth in vote share. The vote difference between the LDF and UDF has come down from lakhs to 25,000 votes in 2014 election and to mere 1,071 votes by the 2016 Assembly elections. This ever narrowing difference is going to make way for LDF this time,” he said.
He also predicted the repeat of 2004 general election when CPM candidate T.K. Hamza wrested the Muslim League bastion Manjeri. Hamza created history by defeating the Congress in its stronghold Nilambur assembly seat in 1982 before defeating Muslim League in 2004 LS elections.
Likewise. Anwar, who beat Congress in Nilambur in 2016, will also wrest the Ponnani from Muslim League, Kodiyeri said. Minister KT Jaleel presided. CPI leader Binoy Vishwom, senior CPM leader and former minister Paloli Muhammed Kutty and other left front leaders were present.
