ALAPPUZHA: The Karnataka political developments leading to the humiliation of the BJP are bound to impact the Chengannur by-election. While the BJP leaders have put up a brave front, the LDF and UDF believe that the situation has turned in their favour. The BJP was hoping to cash in on its good performance in Karnataka where it emerged as the single largest party and staked claim to form the government.
National president Amit Shah had boasted that Karnataka would be the gateway to the south and the local leaders in Chengannur were working hard to turn his dream into reality. NDA candidate P.S. Sreedharan Pillai’s task now appears to be quite daunting. Mr Pillai, who had bagged 42,282 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections, was hoping to do better this time. “We are not concerned about the happenings in Karnataka. The will of the people was with the BJP which became the single largest party. The post-poll alliance of Congress and JD(S) is a classic example of horse-trading and unholy nexus. We will explain to the people about the real situation. The fight between the Congress and the CPM is and eyewash. They will join together once the Chengannur election gets over,” said Mr K. Soman, president, BJP district committee.
The support of NDA ally BDJS to Mr Pillai remains a question mark. The SNDP Yogam will declare its stance on Chengannur on Sunday. The yogam claims to have 41,000 votes in the constituency. Mr Vellapally Natesan, general secretary of the yogam, had recently claimed that the BJP will not be able to win without the support of the BDJS. Mr M.Liju, DCC president, said, “the BJP failed miserably to cling to power by subverting democracy. The people will not tolerate what the BJP has done. The victory of democracy in Karnataka has boosted the voters’ morale in Chengannur and the Congress will win,” Mr Liju claimed.
The LDF, which is fighting to retain the constituency, is hopeful that the voters will see through the games played by the Congress and BJP to acquire power. CPM politburo member Brinda Karat the other day had said that the Congress had no belief even in their MLAs as shown in Karnataka’s resort politics. “Both the Congress and the BJP have failed to protect the ethos of democracy and Constitution. Both the parties stand exposed. Karnataka will reflect in Chengannur as well,” said Mr R. Nazer, secretary, CPM district committee.
