Sabarimala temple problem appears to be a significant subject of dialogue in these two constituencies.
Thiruvananthapuram: One is a rural phase bordering the Western Ghats in central Travancore in south Kerala and the opposite is dwelling to the nation’s pioneer IT hub right here. However there’s a widespread issue between these two constituencies in Kerala, the place Meeting election is simply days away.
Konni, an Meeting constituency in Pathanamthitta district and Kazhakuttam within the state capital are two segments the place the Sabarimala temple’s ladies entry problem and the safety of religion have taken centrestage throughout the marketing campaign.
A fierce three-cornered battle is anticipated in each these segments, the place the BJP is pinning excessive hopes on its steadily rising vote share whereas the normal rival fronts — the CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-headed UDF are decided to retain their supremacy.
The ruling LDF and opposition UDF and NDA are elevating a number of different points together with improvement among the many voters however the Sabarimala temple problem appears to be a significant subject of dialogue in these two constituencies.
In Kazhakuttam, senior CPI(M) chief and Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, who had confronted extreme criticism over the ladies’s entry problem because the minister of temple affairs, is in search of one other time period as LDF nominee.
To beat him, the BJP is fielding its firebrand chief and an arch critic of girls’s entry at Sabarimala, Sobha Surendran, whereas UDF has opted for well-known well being skilled SS Lal, eyeing the impartial votes of the educated and techies within the phase.
Although the ruling LDF needed to place the Sabarimala problem on the back-burner and tried all means to not make it a subject of dialogue throughout the marketing campaign, Kadakampally Surendran’s latest expression of remorse has turned issues the wrong way up.
Placing the CPI(M) in a repair, Kadakampally Surendran, early this month, just about expressed remorse over the incidents that occurred in Sabarimala over the entry of girls of the historically barred age group problem in 2018 and described it as one thing which “ought to by no means have occurred” on the Lord Ayyappa Temple.
Nonetheless, the celebration normal secretary Sitaram Yechury was fast to reject the ”remorse” and mentioned the Left celebration’s stand on the difficulty of womens entry stays the identical and reiterated that the state authorities was certain to implement the highest court docket’s verdict.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan additionally needed to react on the matter and mentioned the federal government would implement the ultimate verdict solely after consulting with all sections in society.
The opposition Congress and BJP have raised the remorse of Kadakampally Surendran and the rejection of the celebration chief and have used it as a significant marketing campaign software in Kazhakuttam, the place it was anticipated earlier that improvement and infrastructure points would discover a outstanding place.
The BJP candidate Sobha Surendran even mentioned that it was her future to tackle the Devaswom Minister within the constituency and expressed hope that the devotee group would stand by her in her battle.
In each nook assembly and public speech, she is elevating the ”safety of religion” a significant theme to criticise the Devaswom minister and the Left authorities.
Nonetheless, an unfazed Kadakampally Surendran mentioned that individuals would vote for the over Rs 2,000 crore-worth improvement programmes carried out by Mr Vijayan authorities within the phase over the last 5 years.
Mr Surendran had defeated senior BJP chief and current union minister V Muraleedharan by 7,347 votes within the 2016 meeting polls.
Whereas Mr Surendran garnered 50,079 votes in 2016, Mr Muraleedharan polled 42,732 votes and the Congress’s MA Vaheed 38,602 votes.
However, essentially the most hanging factor is the exceptional enhance within the vote share of the saffron celebration.
If the BJP candidate gained simply 6.87 per cent of the whole votes polled in 2011 meeting polls in Kazhakuttam, it had scaled as much as 31.90 per cent in 2016 elections, in line with figures.
In the meantime, Konni is a phase the place the Sabarimala problem would naturally resonate throughout the elections because it falls in Pathanamthitta district the place the Lord Ayyappa temple is positioned.
Its prominence elevated with the candidature of BJP state president Okay Surendran, who had spearheaded many intense agitations towards the state authorities’s determination to implement the highest court docket order allowing entry of younger ladies into the hillock shrine.
LDF’s sitting legislator KU Janeesh Kumar is focussed on retaining the seat projecting numerous improvement programmes launched by the left authorities together with the federal government medical faculty, a protracted pending demand of the folks there and the Punalur-Muvattupuzha state freeway.
Nonetheless, the UDF’s Robin Peter is making an attempt to money in on the alleged anti-incumbency wave within the constituency.
The phase had been a bastion of the Congress-led UDF since 1966.
Congress strongman and MP, Adoor Prakash had received the constituency 5 consecutive instances between 1996-2016.
When he determined to contest from Attingal throughout the 2019 Parliamentary elections as per the celebration’s directive, a byelection was necessitated wherein Janeesh Kumar received by a margin of 9,953 votes.
Okay Surendran, who contested in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, had garnered 46,506 votes and 39,786 votes within the following byelection.
Although he might end solely third in each the elections, there had been an amazing enhance within the saffron celebration’s vote share on which the BJP is pinning hopes this time.
Mr Surendran had garned 28.65 per cent of the whole votes polled within the 2019 by-election if the saffron celebration candidate might win solely 11.66 per cent throughout 2016 meeting polls, as per figures.
The Sabarimala problem had been BJP-NDA’s focus in Konni throughout the campaigns for the reason that starting however they’re additionally making an attempt to money in on numerous welfare programmes carried out by the Narendra Modi authorities on the Centre.
Kerala had witnessed excessive drama throughout the almost three-month lengthy annual pilgrimage season in 2018 with round a dozen ladies within the 10-50 age group being prevented from coming into the Sabarimala temple by protesting devotees after the doorways had been opened for girls following the Supreme Courtroom verdict, allowing ladies of all age teams into the shrine.
