All eyes on crucial Kerala bypoll

With hardly a month to go before the Kerala’s Left government  completes two years in office, the stage is now set for the second bypoll during its stint. While the first one at Vengara, where IUML strongman P K Kunhalikutty turned his focus on the Lok Sabha, went as per script, the Chengannur by-election promises more fireworks. The ruling CPM-led Left Front is under pressure, as it would be defending a sitting seat that fell vacant following the demise of Left legislator K K Ramachandran Nair. The CPM is not taking its victory for granted as it has fielded the party district secretary Saji Cherian. The aim would also be to turn the clock back on his 2006 defeat at the hands of P C Vishnunath.

The Congress is set to give the CPM a run for its money as it has looked beyond Vishnunath, who also romped home in 2011. By choosing a fresh face in D Vijayakumar, the Congress seems determined to bury the factional hatchet and reverse the 2016 poll result. The Congress will also be conscious of the danger posed by the BJP. Because, it was a narrow margin that separated Vishnunath from the BJP’s popular face P S Sreedharan Pillai in 2016 as they polled 30.89 per cent and 29.36 per cent votes, respectively.

Despite Amit Shah’s diktat, there is no gainsaying the unease caused by BDJS, the BJP’s erstwhile ally. Unless the BJP president goes the final distance and replaces the carrot with tangible goodies, it may remain the perennial dark horse. And the BJP will be well aware this applies as much for the BDJS as for potential allies from outside the NDA camp, where the name of Kerala Congress is now being heard with a fair amount of regularity. One thing is for sure, Chengannur is going to be way bigger than Vengara, as far as it being a referendum on the government. The LDF would be keen to get on the bypoll score-sheet. Reason: the UDF won all three during its tenure.