THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala's Padayorukkam is expected to enter history with a massive signature campaign. Volunteers of 24,000 block committees are collecting one crore signatures from people above 12 years on a 3.5 metre long and a metre width cloth material.
They will exhibit this at a separate venue. The stitched up white banner on display protesting the anti-people policies of the BJP and LDF governments will be 60 km in length.
On Sunday, Padayorukkam completed its tour and public rallies in Malappuram district, and so far they have traversed 44 Assembly constituencies. The campaign is plastic-free with the party deciding to use only white cloth. Supporters use sketch pen to dab their signatures. Each booth committee has a target of 500, many have exceeded it.
KPCC vice-president V. D. Satheesan MLA who is the convener of Padayorukkam said the campaign was expected to enter the record books with people thronging the rally.
“The campaign is a bonus. UDF supporters have joined the unique campaign enthusiastically. The interesting factor is that those who have signed it are attending the public rallies too,” he told this paper.
KPCC general secretary Sajeev Joseph, IUML state secretary K. S. Hamza and KPCC secretary P. A. Salim are leading the initiative. “In some areas, illiterate people ensured that they put their thumb impressions. Each cloth campaign would have the name of the booth committee and the total number of signatures,” Mr Joseph told DC.
Towards the end of Padayorukkam, flagged off from the northern border town of Uppala on Nov 1, Mr Chennithala will decide on where the campaign material should be displayed. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will address the concluding rally on Shanghumugham beach on December 1.
