Date:26/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/26/stories/2006042616780300.htm

Kerala - Others

Candidates begin door-to-door visit in Paravur

K.S. Sudhi

Meeting as many voters as possible

PARAVUR: After strenuous vehicle tours and many receptions, candidates in the Paravur Assembly Constituency, going to the polls on Saturday, are on door-to-door campaigning now.

The six-day intense tours did not deter the main contestants, V.D. Satheesan of the United Democratic Front and K.M. Dinakaran of the Left Democratic Front, from starting the new phase of campaign early on Tuesday.

Both of them began the day by visiting some of the houses where deaths had occurred recently. No candidate can put off meeting bereaved families during electioneering.

As Mr. Satheesan entered the Paravur market, Poulose, who runs a meat stall there, greeted him. Mr. Poulose has definite political views and never shies away from making them public. Though his views are different from those of Mr. Satheesan, he promised a `personal vote' for him. The offer for vote was followed by an invitation for a cup of tea. Wading through heaps of banana and other produce, Mr. Satheesan smiled and shook hands with people, most of whom he knew by name. The young Congress leader tries to impart a personal touch to the campaign.

Janaky, an aged fisherwoman selling sardines outside the market, said that she had been voting for the Congress for generations. She had a request to Mr. Satheesan. Her son-in-law's house collapsed the other day and sought the candidate's help to rebuild it. She did not forget to thank Mr. Satheesan for visiting her house. Mr. Satheesan assured her support.

"I know most of my voters personally, which is my strength. I have never identified myself with any of the religious groups and have treated all equally," he said.

The Congress was united and all the party workers were participating actively in the campaign. A majority of the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) workers were also cooperating, he added.

"Though the PDP [People's Democratic Party] is backing the LDF this time, I am sure that the majority of the party workers will vote for me. The voter response is encouraging compared with the last elections when I got a margin of 7,000 votes, " he said.

Parody songs with a traditional Muslim touch are blaring from the PDP's campaign vehicle parked outside the LDF election committee office at Paravur. The songs seek vote for Mr. Dinakaran. As Mr. Dinakaran approached Majeed, who has been repairing umbrellas and torches from a rickety shop on the footpath for the past 16 years, looked up and said: "Why are you asking me to vote for you? It is already assured for you."

The unassuming Mr. Dinakaran melted into the crowd and sought the blessings of the voters highlighting the issues of the constituency, while P. Raju, two-time MLA from the constituency, was busy engaged in formulating poll strategies at the election committee office.

Though Mr. Dinakaran is confident of getting the 4,000-plus PDP votes and those of Jamaat-e-Islami, he fears that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have struck a deal with the Congress in the constituency.

The BJP, which bagged nearly 5,000 votes in the last elections, was not that active this time. However, neutral and independent voters would favour the LDF this time, he said.

V.N. Sunilkumar is the BJP candidate in the constituency.

As there has been a realignment of socio-political factors in the constituency, the candidates are working overtime to turn new situations in their favour.