Kerala bypolls: Poll scene hots up as senior leaders start campaigning

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The bypoll battle in five constituencies intensified with senior leaders joining the campaigns. In all five constituencies, candidates of major fronts completed their first round of campaign and started touring the constituency.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior Congress leader A K Antony will begin election campaigning next week and both leaders will tour all constituencies and address meetings.Former chief minister Oommen Chandy, who began his campaigning from Vattiyoorkavu on Thursday, had attended public meetings and family gatherings to seek votes for UDF candidate P Mohanraj in Konni on Friday. In the coming week, Chandy will campaign at Aroor on Saturday, Ernakulam on Sunday and Manjeswaram on Monday.
Antony will begin his campaign from Manjeswaram on Monday. He will campaign for Congress candidate T J Vinod in Ernakulam on October 15 and for Shanimol Usman in Aroor on 16. Antony will reach Konni on 17 and he will attend campaign meetings for Congress candidate K Mohankumar at Vattiyoorkavu on October 18.
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran was in Konni on Friday. He will seek votes for CPM candidate Manu C Pulikkal on Saturday and Sunday at Aroor. He will campaign at Konni on Monday and at Vattiyoorkavu on Tuesday. Rajendran will address campaign rallies for LDF candidate Sankar Rai at Manjeswaram on 16. The two-day campaign in Ernakulam on October 17 and 18 will mark the conclusion of his campaign tour.