THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the candidature of D. Vijayakumar for the Chengannur byelection being announced by the KPCC leadership, it is going to be a keenly contested triangular battle. The Nair votes are going to be divided between BJP’s P. S. Sreedharan Pillai and Vijayakumar. CPM’s Saji Cherian will also be putting up a formidable fight. NSS’s stand is going to be very crucial. It is unpredictable who will romp home victorious.
When the KPCC leadership zeroed in on ‘winnable’ candidate Vijayakumar, there was no other choice before former Mavelikara MLA M. Murali, but to back out of the race. With the Congress delaying its candidate announcement, the BJP camp’s morale was high. But their happiness was short-lived as now they fear that the “Hindu” votes would definitely be cast in favour of the Congress. Congress leaders are positive that though there has been a delay in their candidature, the selection has been right.
“The BJP's dream of getting all the Hindu votes will remain as a mere pipe dream. Initially the KPCC leadership wanted to have a senior state-level leader of repute from Alappuzha district. But an “imported” candidate from a neighbouring district would have boomeranged,” said a top Congress leader to DC.
But now all eyes are on the NSS leadership led by G. Sukumaran Nair. Usually the NSS general secretary never announces the party’s support openly and has always maintained “equidistance”. However, BJP’s Sreedharan Pillai and Sukumaran Nair are known for their camaraderie. But ever since the LDF Government came to power in 2016, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been cosying up to the NSS leadership by taking a favourable stand on reservation.
M. Liju, Alappuzha DCC president told DC that former chief minister Oommen Chandy’s Vallakalil family belongs to Mannar in Chengannur, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala’s home district and Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P. J. Kurian's hometown adds points to the Congress candidate.
“The Nair community has got close to 39 percent and Christian community 26 - 28 percent in Chengannur. These two communities’ stakes are going to be crucial. At the same time, Kerala Congress (Mani) has got 3000 votes in the constituency which is also expected to be crucial,” said Liju. Though the Congress claims that their main rival is going to be Saji Cherian, it believes that he has got limitations in Chengannur.
