Kerala: The BJP led NDA has decided to support COT Nazeer, an independent candidate, in Thalassery. It was after much discussion by the BJP leadership that the decision to support the independent candidate was taken. Nazeer, who will contest as an independent candidate under the 'Indian Gandhian Party' banner, said that he would welcome support from any quarters.
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With the rejection of nomination filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP had no candidate to contest from Thalassery where the party enjoys significant influence. The issue had gained attention and was discussed at the national level. In Thalassery, a Communist Party Marxist (CPM) sitting seat, BJP had fielded the party's Kannur district president. The NDA had also filed nominations for a dummy candidate. However, the nominations were considered incomplete in the scrutiny and were rejected. With the BJP being a national party, the party president’s signature was required in the nomination. As a result of which the nominations filed by both the BJP candidates were rejected by the electoral officers.
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Following this, the election scenario in Thalassery became a topic of discussion among the parties and alliances. The CPM alleged that an attempt is being made to share votes in the name of the BJP-Congress-Muslim League pact.
With Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala stating that he ‘won’t say no to the BJP votes’, the discussion around the BJP votes in the Thalassery constituency gained heat in Kerala.
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Through this, the BJP could also temporarily defend CPM’s allegations on vote sharing with the UDF. The NDA has finally got candidates to support in the constituencies of Thalassery, Devikulam and Guruvayoor, wherein the NDA candidates’ nominations were rejected.
The NDA is also backing N Ganeshan, an independent candidate, in Devikulam and Dilip Nair, representing the Democratic Social Justice Party in Guruvayoor.
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Meanwhile, the allegations and counter-allegations over the issue of rice supplied in the State continue. The Election Commission had approved the Opposition’s demand to stop the supply of rice in Kerala. However, the High Court intervened and stayed the Election Commission’s order against the supply of rice through PDS. The State Government argued that the Opposition’s allegation that the decision taken well before the election notification is to influence voters is not right. This was approved by the Court.
Following the allegations of bogus votes, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had alleged fraud in the postal votes. Chennithala alleged that the Left favouring officers are subverting the postal ballot proceedings. He went on to say that the LDF’s victory in the local body polls was through fraudulence in the voters’ list.
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Soon after Ramesh Chennithala came up with the bogus votes allegations, he faced a set back as it was found that UDF’s Kayppamangalam, Perumbavoor and Kazhakkoottam candidates, their relatives and Chennithala’s mother had two entries in the voters’ list, in different places. Even as the Election Commission is investigating the bogus votes controversy, Chennithala has come up with another allegation on postal votes.
All the three major fronts in the State are busy ensuring their votes as there is hardly a week left to end public campaigns for Assembly elections in Kerala. Kerala is to be thronged by the national leaders of all parties to add fervour to their party’s election campaigns in the State.
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The main poll planks raked up by the opposition parties in the last week of campaigns include deep-sea fishing trawler deal, bogus votes, food kits and gold smuggling, besides Sabarimala women entry and the Government’s stand, which continues to be on focus right from the start.
