An air of predictability had marked the Assembly elections in the Aruvikkara constituency for the past three decades, with the United Democratic Front (UDF) winning each of the contests. Yet, this year, on the ground in the rural suburbs, there is evidence of the three fronts giving it their all in the intense campaigning.
Sitting MLA K.S. Sabarinadhan, who arrived as a political novice in 2015, after the passing away of his father and the then sitting MLA G. Karthikeyan, is mounting a starkly different campaign this time. He stresses on the familiarity he has gained with the people here, walking in for easy chats at a small eatery and at the bus stop in Aruvikkara junction. At a tutorial college, two students take him aside to raise an issue, which the MLA promises to address.
NDA candidate C. Sivankutty | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
‘Familiarity’ factor
“I am stressing three things in my campaign — development, presence and compassion. I was a newcomer back then, but now I have gained political experience and have the freedom and familiarity to go right into the kitchen of any house here and have some food. Inside the Assembly too, I have raised key gender and youth issues. As an MLA here, my thrust has been on education and in basic infrastructure. In my next term, I want to project Aruvikkara as a weekend destination, with an integrated tourism project, and to carry out desilting in the Aruvikkara dam,” Mr. Sabarinadhan tells The Hindu.
UDF candidate K.S. Sabarinadhan campaigning in Aruvikkara | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Addressing ‘concerns’
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate G. Stephen meanwhile is making his way through the interiors of Kuttichal in his campaign vehicle, followed by a band of youngsters on motorcycles, waving flags. Mr. Stephen, who grew up in party offices after being orphaned at a young age, has his grassroots work of many decades to back him, both at the panchayat level and within the party. At each of the campaign stops, he reminds the gathering that they have to prove that Aruvikkara is not the private property of any party or family.
“The LDF government’s achievements of the past five years are enough to convince the people here to vote for me. During my campaign travels, I have been listening to the various concerns raised by the people. They have issues, right from drinking water scarcity to lack of educational institutions and good roads in the interior areas. If I win, I promise to give priority to each of these issues,” says Mr. Stephen
NDA takes expo route
At Thevancode, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) workers are drumming up interest with a grand exhibition complete with Theyyam, Kummatti and band performers, ahead of the arrival of their candidate C. Sivankutty. In a constituency which has witnessed erosion of votes for the BJP in 2016, he is facing the electorate by pointing at the lack of development in the constituency and also mentioning the Central governments projects here.
“The people of Aruvikkara have been denied even basic infrastructure. There are only two government hospitals catering to this vast area, with many from the interiors finding it hard to access these. The hill highway has come, but it ends at Aryanad and does not proceed further. The Central government has brought in projects in the educational sector and developed infrastructure,” says Mr. Sivankutty.
Claiming credit
There is also a contest between the rivals in claiming credit for major projects like the Aruvikkara water treatment plant, a Central project built with fund shares from the State government and the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The preferences of a large tribal population in the hilly regions and the Nadar population could prove to be crucial. All the three fronts have done outreach activities in the interiors. The CPI(M) believes that the LDF government’s decision to include Nadars in the OBC category and the presence of a candidate from the community could turn things their way at least this time.