BJP’s P S Sreedharan Pillai meets voters during his campaign in Chengannur constituency in Alappuzha. (Express)
The stakes are high and campaigning is on in full swing in Chengannur Assembly constituency in Alappuzha district, where a by-election is scheduled on May 28. A triangular contest is in the offing. The CPM has fielded party district secretary Saji Cherian, the Congress has fielded D Vijayakumar, and BJP’s national executive member P S Sreedharan Pillai is also in the fray. While the Congress and BJP have picked candidates from the Nair community, the CPM has gone with a Christian.
The constituency has 44 per cent upper-caste Hindu Nair voters, while Christians constitute 29 per cent and backward Hindu Ezhava 22 per cent. The by-election was necessitated by the death of CPM legislator Ramachandran Nair, who had wrested the seat from the Congress in 2016.
Chengannur has been a Congress stronghold for years, the exceptions being in 1967 and 1970 when the CPM got the seat. This time, the CPM appears to be trying hard to retain the seat as the bypoll is being considered a referendum on the two-year-old Pinarayi Vijayan government. The ruling party expects a Christian consolidation in favour of Cherian, and a split in Nair votes between Congress’ Vijayakumar and BJP’s Pillai. The government has mobilised its machinery in the constituency, where ministers are using the development plank to the hilt.
The worry in the BJP camp this time is its sulking ally Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), which represents the backward Hindu Ezhava caste. BDJS has asked its cadres to stay away from campaigning. BDJS chairman Thushar Vellappally said, “The NDA is not functioning in Kerala. Besides, we have issues with the BJP. So we have asked the cadres not to campaign. But they can vote for BJP.”
Pillai, however, expressed confidence that strained relations with BDJS would not affect his prospects. “BJP’s acceptability among minorities has gone up… The issues between BJP and BDJS will be sorted out,’’ he said. The Congress got a boost on Tuesday when its estranged ally, Kerala Congress (M), extended support to the UDF candidate. Christian-dominated KC(M) had quit the UDF after the last Assembly elections.
Congress MP Kodikkunnil Suresh, who is coordinating the UDF campaign, said, “The decision of KC(M) is a major morale booster for Congress-led UDF.” By fielding Vijayakumar, the Congress also hopes to wean away a section of BJP sympathisers. As the national vice-president of Ayyappa Seva Sangham, an organisation helping pilgrims of Sabarimala temple, Vijayakumar is also close to the leadership of Nair Service Society.