Thrikkakara bypoll: Stakes high for Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, LoP Satheesan; BJP expects big surprise

Kochi: Stakes are high for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and also the new Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan in the Assembly byelection for the Thrikkakara constituency, where polling on Tuesday (May 31) started at 7 am. Three alliances, including the ruling CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), are striving hard to win this prestigious Assembly seat. 

The total electorate in the constituency this time is 1,96,805, up from 1,94,113 in the 2021 April Assembly polls which were won by the now-deceased Congress veteran PT Thomas with a margin of 14,329 votes. In 2021, 70.36 of the electorate cast their votes. Given the intense campaigning this time, the voting percentage is likely to touch 75 per cent.

Thomas`s passing away in December last year necessitated a fresh poll with the Congress fielding his widow Uma Thomas, while the CPI-M brought in a young interventional cardiologist Joe Joseph. The BJP, meanwhile, went for veteran leader AN Radhakrishnan.

According to reports, the Left campaign peaked after CM Pinarayi Vijayan returned from the US after his treatment and since then, around 60 of their MLAs were stay put in the constituency as they appear determined to breach the century-mark of legislators in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly.

The Left Democratic Front convenor and CPI-M veteran EP Jayarajan reportedly expressed confidence in a swashbuckling win.

"Just look at the appalling position of the Congress. It`s nowhere to be seen and has lost its might across the country and not to mention in Kerala and Thrikkakara also. We will win hands down, which will see the decimation of the Congress and the UDF here," IANS quoted Jayarajan as saying.

The BJP candidate Radhakrishnan reportedly said that he is witnessing a clear pro-Modi wave and they are expecting a big surprise, similar to what happened in the 2016 Assembly polls. 

The BJP had then for the first time opened its account in the Assembly when BJP veteran O Rajagopal won from the Nemom constituency in capital district. In the 2021 polls, the BJP lost their lone seat.

Ahead of the by-poll, the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan on Monday alleged that former ministers of the LDF are holding meetings with Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders.

"Why were PFI leaders allowed to hold a rally in Alappuzha city, where they raised objectionable slogans? This is because former ministers of LDF are in talks with those PFI leaders in Thrikkakara constituency. The rally was allowed by LDF. That is why strict action cannot be taken against them. It is a dangerous move. LDF is pleasing communalism. Hatred and poison are being spread here," PTI quoted Satheesan as saying.

Satheesan reportedly expressed confidence that the Congress-UDF alliance will win the bypoll this time, adding "We are confident right from the day when the day of elections was announced. The UDF candidate will cross the majority mark. Our party is prepared to prevent fraudulent voting. Legal action will be taken against the officials who support it."

Satheesan further slammed the CPI(M) government in the state for allegedly preferring `fraudulent voting` in polls.

The polling has already started at 7 am and will conclude by 6 pm, while votes will be counted on Friday. 

(With Inputs from Agencies)