Kottayam: Top leaders of rival political combinations are descending on Pala this week as the electioneering enters its last lap.
They include chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who failed to turn up at the LDF election convention earlier, and the opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.
The LDF, which is leaving no stone unturned to capture the UDF bastion, is also fielding senior ministers for the campaigning.
Mr Vijayan will address seven meetings over three days starting from Wednesday. Senior CPI leaders K.E. Ismayil and Pannyan Raveendran will join him.
CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and ministers M.M. Mani, K. Raju and A. K. Saseendran had completed the first round while A. K. Balan, K. T. Jaleel and J. Mercikuttiamma will hit the campaign trail in the coming days.
UDF candidate Jose Tom Pulikkunnel, meanwhile, was able to cover much of the lost ground, for his delayed candidacy.
Kicking off the second leg of campaigning on Saturday, he held a vehicle rally which former chief minister Oommen Chandy flagged off at Mevada in Kozhuvanal panchayat.
KC (M) working chairman P. J. Joseph attended a UDF meeting at Oshana Mount this evening after his humiliating experience at the opening of the campaign.
