While the battle for Chelakkara depends on quality of public service and job creation, the focus in Wayanad - where Priyanka Gandhi is making her electoral debut - is on agrarian crisis and human-wild animal conflict.
Published Nov 12, 2024 | 1:52 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 26, 2024 | 2:38 PM
Polling arrangement underway in Wayanad ahead of Lok Sabha bypolls
Voters are all set to queue up at polling stations across Wayanad and Chelakkara to vote for the respective Lok Sabha and Assembly seats on Wednesday, 13 November.
A day before, anticipation runs high in both the constituencies.
All major fronts — LDF, UDF, and NDA — have deployed targeted campaigns to sway voters, bringing local and state-level issues to the forefront.
Chelakkara, an Assembly constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs), has its own set of local concerns, primarily revolving around development and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Wayanad is once again in the national spotlight, and this time it’s due to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s electoral debut.
If all goes as expected, Priyanka is expected to secure a significant win and mark her entry into the Lok Sabha. It would be an achievement that would make her one of the few in Indian history to join both her mother, Sonia Gandhi, and brother, Rahul Gandhi, as Members of Parliament.
Agrarian crisis, problems faced by tribals and environmental challenges like human-wild animal conflict are some key problems plaguing the high-stakes constituency.
In the traditionally left-leaning Chelakkara Assembly constituency, the battle for gaining voters’ confidence centres on addressing local infrastructure, quality of public service and job creation.
Historically, Chelakkara has largely been an LDF stronghold, with CPI(M) maintaining a steady presence since 1996. However, the UDF believes that it has made notable inroads this time by spotlighting issues related to rural connectivity, inadequate public transportation, and delayed infrastructure projects that resonate with younger and first-time voters.
For Ramya Haridas, the UDF candidate in Chelakkara, this election is personal. After losing her Lok Sabha seat to LDF candidate K Radhakrishnan, who represented Chelakkara five times, she’s battling not only to redeem herself but to assert her existence in parliamentary politics.
UDF Chelakkara Assembly Constituency candidate Ramya Haridas with KPCC president K Sudhakaran
The LDF is championing its record on development and social welfare schemes as it courts voters in Chelakkara, confident that its deep-rooted support in the constituency remains resilient.
Despite this belief, LDF is mindful of the undercurrent of anti-incumbency that could unsettle its plans.
To counter any wavering sentiment, the LDF is banking heavily on the influence and popularity of Radhakrishnan.
By leveraging Radhakrishnan’s rapport with the electorate, the LDF hopes to rally votes around its candidate UR Pradeep, who previously represented Chelakkara in the Assembly in 2016.
Pradeep’s experience and familiarity with constituency issues, paired with Radhakrishnan’s appeal, form a central pillar of the LDF campaign.
The BJP-led NDA, although a minor force in the constituency, has campaigned vigorously by highlighting their central government initiatives aimed at uplifting people belonging to the marginalised Scheduled Caste.
It has fielded K Balakrishnan, former president of Thiruvilvamala Grama Panchayath from Chelakkara Assembly Constituency.
Emphasising implementing schemes aimed at social mobility and economic opportunities for SC communities, NDA hopes to carve a new voter base from marginalised sections dissatisfied with both the UDF and LDF.
NDA candidate for Chelakkara Assembly Constituency K Balakrishnan
BJP also believes it has capitalized on youth-centric issues such as employment and skill development, which resonate with a significant part of Chelakkara’s electorate.
At the same time, all three major political fronts — LDF, UDF, and NDA —are closely watching the impact of a new player — The democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK), a fresh political force floated by independent MLA PV Anvar.
Former Congress leader NK Sudheer is contesting with the support of DMK. The major fronts are wary of whether DMK’s presence will siphon crucial votes from their respective bases.
What’s capturing voters’ attention, however, is not just the novelty of a new candidate in the form of former Congress leader NK Sudheer.
Anvar, known for his populist appeal, has strategically launched a housing scheme tailored for the people of Chelakkara, sparking enthusiasm among residents.
Wayanad LDF candidate Sathyan Mokeri with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
Wayanad has garnered attention beyond state boundaries, thanks largely to the high-profile presence of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who has represented the constituency since 2019.
Then came his decision to choose Raebareli over Wayanad in the recent Lok Sabha elections and thus entered Priyanka Gandhi.
The constituency, located in a largely agrarian district, faces a unique blend of challenges, including agrarian distress, tribal rights, forest conservation and tourism.
Gandhi’s campaign has focused on mobilising support around agricultural policy reforms, particularly advocating for fair prices and debt relief for struggling farmers. It is a crucial issue in Wayanad where many smallholder farmers are mired in debt due to price volatility and climate-induced losses.
Priyanka Gandhi has also highlighted her plan to elevate Wayanad into a global tourism destination.
The LDF, represented by the CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri, underscores a commitment to implementing welfare programs for tribal communities, including housing, healthcare, and education.
Recognising that tribal communities represent a substantial voter bloc, the LDF has tailored its messaging to promise sustainable development that respects both the environment and traditional way of life.
Sathyan has also focused on environmental concerns, positioning themselves as a more holistic choice for Wayanad, balancing ecological needs with economic development, especially in a region that has witnessed deforestation and land-use changes.
The BJP-led NDA has fielded two-time councillor Navya Haridas to trump Priyanka and their campaign highlights the party’s national schemes focused on infrastructure development and rural connectivity.
Navya Haridas, NDA candidate for Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency
BJP candidates have also pointed to ongoing welfare schemes as proof of their commitment to Wayanad’s development while appealing to younger, first-time voters with promises of entrepreneurship opportunities and digital infrastructure improvement.
However, the BJP faces the challenge of swaying an electorate that has historically leaned toward either LDF or UDF and remains less receptive to the BJP’s platform on social and religious grounds.
The agrarian sector in the Chelakkara and Wayanad constituencies plays a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of the upcoming bypolls, with a significant portion of the electorate dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.
Both regions share a common need for revitalising the agrarian sector, with many voters looking for assurances of sustainable farming practices, improved rural infrastructure, and access to government schemes.
UDF Wayanad Lok Sabha candidate Priyanka Gandhi with her brother and MP Rahul Gandhi
The issues of the Waqf Board, human-wild animal conflict, absence of a package for landslide-affected people, distribution of worm-infested food kits to landslide-affected families and others were also discussed.
Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan’s allegations that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan blocked the path for a Dalit chief minister and ensured no representation for the community in the cabinet by sending former Devaswom minister K Radhakrishnan to Parliament have also become hot topics in the campaign ahead of bypolls.
In conclusion, while the results of the Chelakkara and Wayanad by-elections may not directly impact the existing political scenario, they will serve as a critical litmus test for all major political parties.
The bypolls thus hold strategic significance, as they reflect voter sentiment that could shape the political landscape leading into the next elections.
(Edited by Neena)
