Kochi: Campaign for the Lok Sabha election has entered the crucial last phase with just a week left for the D-day and the major three fronts are now focusing on squad work and distribution of leaflets at houses in Ernakulam parliamentary constituency. The fronts have put in place a plan deploying maximum workers to cover maximum areas on the two holidays-- Sunday and Monday, the Vishu day.
The advantage of these two days is that most of the voters would be at home and hence meeting them and interacting with them is a near certainty. Many candidates make it a point to convey Vishu and Easter messages in printed cards and distribute the same during squad work. Another mode adopted to wish this time is to use social media platform. Audio and video clippings are used in Whatsapp and Facebook to reach the voters.
The campaign has moved to the feverish pitch with more vehicles carrying loud speakers criss-crossing the streets with announcements of different candidates. Campaign songs sung by playback singer Madhu Balakrishnan for Hibi Eden are blurted out through moving vehicles in Kochi. A 40-minute street play conceptualised by Salim Hassan and team of Mulavukadu was also performed in various parts of the city as part of the campaign on Sunday. The street play portrays issues like recent floods, GST, demonetisation, violent politics and it will be staged in other parts of the constituency in the coming days.
LDF candidate P. Rajeev is buoyed by the success of the youth long march on Saturday and is now focused on the development agenda rolled out on Sunday. The march which began from Edappally and participated by hundreds of youths culminated at Rajendra Maidan. It raised the slogan "Youth for Rajiv, vote for quality'. M. Swaraj, MLA, also joined the march.
NDA candidate Alphons Kannanthanam spent Sunday for holding a road show at Vypeen which lasted three hours. The Mahila Morcha workers also held a road show for him in Kochi which comprised Kathakali, kavadi, percussion and festoons. It started from Gandhi Square and ended at High Court junction.
