Loudspeakers blaring, flags stiffly beating in the wind, a campaign vehicle - a decked-up, three-wheeler pickup - races past. It turns a corner and soon vanishes from sight, and silence reigns briefly at the small junction, one of many, seemingly-identical ones dotting the Varkala municipality.
It has become increasingly evident that the battle for Varkala will be a closely-fought one.
This impression is not wholly lost on the candidates for the main fronts, who, disregarding the slight drizzle and the leaden skies, were out in strength on Saturday morning touring the wards.
Trudging up a steep, deserted country lane, Bindhu Haridas, the CPI(M) candidate, explains that Pullannikode is the biggest of the 33 wards in the civic body. Ms. Haridas, who was municipal chairperson in the 2015-2020 council, is on her fifth tour of the neighbourhood.
“This ward is spread over a very large area. There are 1,328 voters, 605 men and 723 women. We are very confident. The voters appear to be very cooperative,” Ms. Haridas explains, as she pauses to let her party colleagues to catch up. Soon, she is calling at the homes of a number of Tamil families who are registered electors in the ward, handing out election slips and campaign leaflets.
The CPI(M)-led LDF, which won in 2015 with 18 seats, hopes to retain its hold over the 33-seat council. If it does, it would create history as the municipality has never gifted the LDF or the UDF consecutive terms.
The Congress-led UDF also exudes confidence about winning, but it has a pesky problem on hand in seven wards where candidates of both Congress and front partner IUML are in the fray.
Scoffs BJP’s chances
Both fronts are unanimous in scoffing at the BJP’s prospects.
Nonetheless, the saffron party draws inspiration from having stood first in 19 wards when senior leader Sobha Surendran contested from Attingal in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. All these factors along with the irksome presence of rebels have ensured stiff triangular battles in most of the wards.
In the Maithanam ward, the official UDF candidate A. Salim steps up to an elderly couple seated outside their home.
“'Don't forget the 'hand' symbol, okay? All votes for the UDF,” he pleads his case with a smile. Mr. Salim gets smiles in return. “'Last time, Maithanam was held by the LDF. But before that, it was a UDF ward. So we are confident of winning it back,” he says.
The fact that he also has to contend with an IUML candidate in the ward doesn't seem to alarm him. “The IUML doesn't have much influence here They're sure to end up fourth or fifth. Here the fight is between UDF and LDF,” he says.
Varkala municipality has 134 candidates in the fray this time.
In the LDF, the CPI(M) has fielded candidates in 28 seats and the CPI, in five. The UDF has officially divided the 33 seats between the Congress (32) and RSP (1), but front partner IUML has fielded its own candidates in seven. In the NDA, the BJP is contesting in 31 seats and ally BDJS, in two. Among the rest, the PDP has four candidates and the Shiv Sena, three. There are also 21 independents in the fray.
Four tours
By Saturday morning, G. Sunil Kumar, the BJP candidate in Jawahar Park, had completed four tours of the ward.
“'We'll go one more round after this,” says Mr. Sunil Kumar, who was the BJP parliamentary party leader in the last council.
“'In 2015 we won three seats. But in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, we stood first in 19 wards here. Also, the people are aware that the LDF did little to develop the municipality during the past five years. This gives us confidence,” he adds.
