Rema’s emphatic second term win coincides with martyrdom day of TP

Kozhikode: Her resounding second term win in Vadakara coupled with the electoral rout suffered by CPM became a sort of poetic justice for RMP leader K K Rema as it happened on the death anniversary of her husband T P Chandrasekharan who was hacked to death on the very same day 14 years ago.Chandrasekharan's murder remains one of Kerala's most chilling political killings, with several CPM workers later convicted in the case.As she has done every year since 2012, Rema began May 4 — observed as martyr's day — by offering floral tributes at Chandrasekharan's memorial in her home courtyard. She followed the counting of votes from there, watching the trends unfold on television. From the opening of postal ballots, she maintained a clear and uninterrupted lead.After her victory was confirmed, Rema reached the counting centre at Madappally College, where she joined supporters in celebration.Contesting as the candidate of Revolutionary Marxist Party of India and backed by UDF, Rema won by a margin of 14,862 votes, significantly higher than her previous margin of 7,491, defeating LDF candidate M K Bhaskaran.As leads began to trickle from across state, indicating a LDF debacle, Rema came out with an emotional social media post. The post was made after chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan trailed in the first six rounds of counting in Dharmadom constituency located in Kannur, a CPM fortress. The constituency was won by a margin of over 50,000 votes by Vijayan in the 2021 elections."These six rounds are enough, Kerala! This is enough. Chandrasekharan has been able to witness the man who branded him a betrayer and called for his murder, standing naked in the scorching sun. Salutations to political Kerala," she posted on Facebook.