Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has alleged that there was a conspiracy in declaration of byelections in Pala ahead of Manjeshwaram. He also said that the LDF will conduct a meeting on Wednesday in Pala to discuss the candidate for the by-election there on September 23.
He noted that usually the Election Commission declares the byelections to all vacant seats in a state with a single notification. P.B. Abdul Razak, the IUML MLA who represented Manjeswaram seat, had died last October.
“The earlier practice of the Election Commission was to declare byelections together in all vacant seats in a state. However, this time, they violated this practice,” Mr Balakrishnan alleged.
This was the same route they followed when two Rajya Sabha seats were vacant in Gujarat. Election Commission conducted bypolls in two phases in order to favour BJP. If the elections were carried out together, the Congress would have won a seat. Such political conspiracies are continuing under Election Commission. Hence, the motive behind declaration of byelection in Pala should be viewed with suspicion,” said Mr Balakrishnan.
However, he expressed confidence that the LDF will make a strong comeback in the election in the seat that was repeatedly being won by Kerala Congress (M) Leader K.M. Mani for a long time.
The LDF will benefit from the dispute in Kerala Congress. The situation in the state has undergone a sea change since the Lok Sabha elections. Believers who had misunderstood the party over Sabarimala issue, have realised the truth,” the CPM leader added.
Usually Pala seat belonged to the NCP. Mani C. Kappan of NCP who lost the seat to Mani by a low margin may be the candidate in the elections. As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the EC must fill all the vacancies through byelections within six months.
Vattiyoorkavu, Aroor, Ernakulam and Konni seats too have become vacant as the MLAs representing them were elected to the Lok Sabha in May.
