Campaign gaining momentum in West

By N. J. Nair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, APRIL 14. Campaigning for the Assembly election is gradually gaining momentum in Thiruvananthapuram West where the CMP leader, Mr. M. V. Raghavan, is locking horns with the sitting Kerala Congress(J) MLA, Mr. Antony Raju.

The LDF had the advantage of launching the campaign well ahead of the UDF as Mr. Antony Raju's candidature was fixed by the LDF as well as the KC(J) much in advance. The LDF workers began work in right earnest and started convening ward conventions and writing graffiti. They are moving ahead with confidence. Mr. Antony Raju being the sitting MLA, he is very familiar with the constituency. The focus of the LDF campaign is on the development works done by the Government.

The indecision in the UDF in finalising the number and allocating the seats to the front constituents delayed the entry of Mr. Raghavan into the fray.

Once Mr. Raghavan's candidature was finalised, the UDF workers too started work and very soon Mr. Raghavan too reached on a par with Mr. Antony Raju. According to the CMP leader, Mr. C. P. John, the delay in finalising the candidate and the group bickerings in the Congress have not had any impact on the prospects of Mr. Raghavan. The delayed start has not affected the tempo of the campaign, he said.

This time the LDF has not fielded a CPI(M) candidate against Mr. Raghavan. The NDA candidate is yet to register his presence in the constituency.

Leaders of all the UDF constituents have joined hands to work for Mr. Raghavan who has become the rallying point for UDF workers in the district above all differences of opinion, Mr. John said.

The Congress leader, Mr. K. Karunakaran, and a host of other prominent UDF leaders had attended the West mandalam convention. Leaders of the Congress and IUML are concentrating on the West to ensure the success of Mr. Raghavan. The UDF has completed 23 ward conventions and the last one is scheduled to be held on Monday. The public meetings organised by the UDF, especially in Pettah and Sreekanteswaram, were a big draw.

Mr. John says the constituency is not a new terrain to the UDF. Mr. Raghavan had contested from the neighbouring Kazhakootam and as one of the main campaigners of the UDF had toured extensively in the West too.

The Muslim pockets, the coastal belt and the cosmopolitan areas which form part of the constituency are very much familiar to Mr. Raghavan and he has toured almost all areas of the constituency in the past few days, he said. The campaign will become more lively after the Easter holidays.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : NCP sees plot behind Nadapuram violence
Next     : Kerala Express to stop at Varkala