The Kunnathunad constituency is witnessing a unique contest in the Assembly polls this time. The Kitex company-backed Twenty20, which clinched power in four panchayats in the region recently, is locked in a battle with three major fronts in the segment.
The constituency is currently held by the United Democratic Front (UDF), which has fielded its two-time legislator V.P. Sajeendran to retain the seat which he won by 2,679 votes, defeating Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Shiji Sivaji, in 2016. The Left has now fielded P.V. Sreenijin to wrest the constituency it held last in 2006.
Electoral debut in 2015
The Twenty20 made its electoral debut in 2015 when it was voted to power in the Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat. It also won the Kunnathunad, Mazhuvannoor, and Aikkaranadu panchayats in the Assembly segment in the local body polls in December 2020.
The remaining four panchayats, Vazhakkulam, Poothrikka, Thiruvaniyur, and Vadavucode-Puthencruz, that come under the constituency are shared between the UDF and the LDF. The BJP has taken the seat back from its ally Bharat Dharma Jana Sena and has fielded its State secretary Renu Suresh. Twenty20 candidate is Sujith P. Surendran, an academic in Bengaluru.
The Twenty20 is contesting in eight constituencies in Ernakulam, but its hopes of making the cut rest largely on Kunnathunad. However, the UDF and the LDF reckon that the formation sponsored by a company would fall short of replicating its success in the local body polls.
‘Secret pact with BJP’
“The Twenty20 will retain only 30% of its vote share from the local body polls,” maintains C.P. Joy, chairman of the UDF Kunnathunad Assembly constituency, alleging a secret pact between the Twenty20 and the BJP, a charge rubbished by both these parties.
Congress workers regard the challenge posed by Twenty20 as a blessing in disguise as it has helped in uniting the party like never before. They also claim that the alleged discontent among the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] cadre over its candidate Mr. Sreenijin, a one-time Congress follower, would work in their favour.
“That Mr. Sreenijin’s candidacy has divided the party is a canard being spread by Mr. Sajeendran, under whose watch development in the constituency has stagnated,” alleges C.B. Devadarshanan, CPI(M) district committee member.
“The selection of the candidate was a well-thought out decision as he is very efficient and has proven himself at the district sports council,” he said.
The LDF camp alleges that the Twenty20 has grown at the expense of the Congress, which ceded power to the business-backed party in panchayats that were its strongholds once.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, UDF’s lead in the constituency was 17,331 votes. The Left and the UDF won six times each in the 12 elections held in Kunnathunad since 1967.
With four victories, Congress leader T.H. Musthafa holds the record of being elected most times from the constituency.