Kozhikode: When a 26-year-old student leader, who had been in the forefront of most of the agitations led by the UDF in the state in recent years, takes on a veteran leader who arguably holds the record for holding mayoral posts for the most number of years in the country, the fight is set to be out-of-the-ordinary. Add to that the entry of one of the most combative leaders of BJP in the state, then you have the perfect recipe for a three-cornered fight in Kozhikode North constituency.
The constituency has had the reputation of being a swing constituency which had elected CPM and Congress candidates alternatively for eight elections held from 1957 to 2006 till A Pradeep Kumar of the CPM started off his hat-trick stint, increasing his victory margins with each election. The seat has, however, been throwing up leads for UDF candidates in parliament elections, including 4,558 for M K Raghavan in 2019.
Now, with Pradeep Kumar not in the fray due to the two-term norm, Congress has sensed an opportunity and has fielded a young blood in the form of KSU state president K M Abhijith to take on CPM’s candidate and former corporation mayor Thottathil Raveendran who has been mayor of Kozhikode for two terms, deputy mayor for one term and councillor for 26 years.
BJP is also making a serious attempt this time by fielding BJP state general secretary M T Ramesh in the constituency, which has in recent years saw the party increasing its vote share substantially. Of the 30 corporation wards in the constituency, BJP has won five and came second in 12, making it a political force to reckon with here.
The campaign of Raveendran proceeds like clockwork. At a meeting venue at Ponnamparambu, a crowd of around 70 people, half of them women, waits for the candidate in the scorching sun beneath a tarpaulin sheet at 3pm. A teenager stands ready with flowers to receive the candidate and two DYFI activists hold a set of crackers to be lit on the arrival of the candidate.
On reaching the venue, Raveendran keeps his speech short and focuses on the theme to have continuity for the Rs 3,000-crore development works initiated in the constituency by Pradeep Kumar and also pitches for the need to give another term for the LDF government. He also takes on the central government, reminding the housewives that the LPG prices have doubled under the NDA rule. Raveendran, who is a former chairman of Guruvayur devaswom board, has interestingly been a communist and an ardent believer at the same time.
“I have been with the people here for over three decades, which is enough to sense their mood. This time they want continuity and don’t want whatever that has been built upon during the last five years to be disrupted. The people now know what it means to have a state government which stands with you in time of crisis like Covid and the floods,” Ravindran told TOI.
The campaign of Abhijith, who is one of the youngest in the fray in the state, is a picture in contrast with the front trying to capitalize on his boy-next- door image. While visiting the Kattuvayal colony, which has around 260 voters, he makes a hasty tour of the houses and the candidate does not miss any opportunity to seek blessings from the elderly by touching their feet.
“You can consider me as your son, brother or friend. I will be there with you just a call away for all your needs. Even if you don’t call, I will be there around just like your councillor,” Abhijith tells the residents pointing at Congress councillor Alphonsa Mathew, who is accompanying him.
“The tall claims of development bandied about by the LDF in the constituency are just a PR stunt. You cannot deceive people for long with such gimmicks,” says Abhijith.
BJP is making a massive campaign push for Ramesh by deploying all its resources. Being a senior party leader hailing from the district, Ramesh too doesn’t need an introduction.
“The political situation is in favour of the BJP this time. The contest here is between LDF and the BJP. We are the only party that has registered growth in the recently held local body elections. The CPM has failed the people of the constituency despite the people electing the party for three terms. Also, the current LDF candidate has got several opportunities to do something substantial but has failed to deliver. So, the people are willing to give a chance to the development politics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” says Ramesh.
The electorate in the constituency comprises around 60% Hindus and the rest constituted by 25% Muslims and 15% Christians.