As the campaign enters the final lap for the by-elections to the Aruvikkara assembly constituency in Kerala, the LDF candidate and former Assembly Speaker and minister M Vijayakumar is gaining more and more support from the people from all walks of life in a three cornered fight.
The Aruvikkara assembly constituency was earlier known as Aryanad was represented by Congress leader G Karthikeyan, the late speaker of Kerala Assembly since 1991. The bye-poll was necessitated following the death of G Karthikeyan, and the ruling UDF front has fielded his 33-year-old son K S Sabarinath, in a bid to gain sympathy. BJP leader O Rajagopal former MoS for Railways has became a sorry figure as his party has fielded this octogenarian leader in every election including Lok Sabha and Assembly. He tested his fortune even in a by-poll in Neyyattinkara held in 2012. His defeat is imminent.
While the LDF has been attacking the state government on the solar and bar bribe scams and rampant corruption in almost every field of public life, the UDF is banking on the so-called welfare and development initiatives of the four-year-old government. But these claims of development are challenged by LDF by pointing at the pathetic condition of the tribal people and plantation laborers in the constituency. The dismal condition of the roads, miserable life of farmers including rubber growers and the problems including the scarcity of drinking water in various panchayaths in the constituency are significant factors which put the UDF on the back foot.
An added advantage to LDF is the personality and experience of its candidate Vijayakumar, who hails from this area and his connection with various sections of the people in the constituency. He served as the secretary of CPI (M) Uzhamalakkal Local Committee, now he is the state committee member of CPI (M) and had earlier served as the minister of sports, public works and port.
Karthikeyan had won the seat last time with a margin of over 10,000 votes by defeating RSP candidate Sreedharan Nair. But the voting pattern in 2014 Lok Sabha election gives more optimism to the LDF. CPI (M) leader A Sampath, the sitting MP got a majority of 4163 votes in this assembly segment which falls in the Attingal Lok Sabha Constituency.