The Kerala Congress (M), which is contesting in six of the nine constituencies, is already feeling the heat. Split in the KC (M), personal rivalry among leaders, fall in rubber price, various corruption allegations against UDF government, development projects launched in the district and the presence of BDJS will influence the voters.
While Congress and CPM are content in three seats each, the newlyformed Kerala Congress (D) will battle it out in two. The most keenly awaited contest is in Poonjar, where MLA P C George is waiting to settle scores with UDF and LDF . He has a tough task at hand as he is on his own this time. A loss for KC (M) will increase the stake of the Congress for the seat in the next elections.
The fight between KC(M) and KC(D) in Changanassery is worth a watch. C F Thomas, the trusted lieutenant of Mani, has won eight consecutive elections here. K C Joseph, a seasoned veteran, appears to be a candidate who will make matters worse for Thomas.
KC(M) will be seriously affected by rebel leader Josemon Mundackal in Ettumanur. Though there is still time for him to withdraw from the fray, he has done the damage for UDF candidate Thomas Chazhikadan.MLA Suresh Kurup of CPM also has problems in the form of BDJS. Its candidate A G Thankappan, who is also the president of the Kottayam SNDP union, is capable of making inroads into the CPM vote banks.
In Pala, Mani will have to sweat it out for a record 13th consecutive win as the spectre of the bar bribery case haunts him. NCP has fielded Mani C Kappen here. While Kappen has lost to Mani in the last two elections, the NDA has a good candidate in N Hari, the BJP district secretary .
In Puthuppally , SFI leader Jaick C Thomas has launched a systematic campaign against chief minister Oommen Chandy . However, it will be a tough task to stop Chandy from winning an 11th consecutive time. The picture will be clear once Chandy starts campaigning.
Kanjirappally will be another acid test for KC(M). MLA, N Jayaraj, will have to work hard to overcome the LDF candidate, V B Binu of the CPI, and V N Manoj of the BJP . In Kaduthuruthy , the fight is between three splinter groups of Kerala Congress.It will be a cakewalk for Mons Joseph of KC(M) against Skaria Thomas of Kerala Congress (Skaria Thomas) and NDA candidate Stephen Chazhikadan of Kerala Congress (Thomas).
CPI has fielded a fresh face in Vaikom, C K Asha, to defend its seat.Though it is a traditional LDF fort, the denial of seat to MLA V Ajith may create strong undercurrents. Saneesh Kumar is the Congress candidate.
In Kottayam, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will have to worry about winning as his majority in 2011 was 711. Reji Zacharaia of the CPM is his rival here.
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