As the electorate in Pathanamthitta gets ready vote on Tuesday in a crucial three-tier election, they will not only be electing their respective local administrators but also giving an indication about the Assembly elections due next year.
With 25 panchayats and two municipalities in its possession, the LDF had a slight lead during the previous term and hopes to maintain its winning streak on the back of a slew of welfare measures.
The UDF, on the other hand, is equally confident that they would be wresting power in more local bodies, while keeping intact its dominance in 22 panchayats, two municipalities and the district panchayat, where it emerged victorious in 2015.
The hopes of the BJP-led coalition, meanwhile, rests primarily on its rising vote-share in the district since the Lok Sabha elections last year.
Three-way contest
Unlike the previous local body polls in 2015, at least a couple of municipalities and around 10 panchayats besides a handful of seats in the district panchayat here are witnessing an exceedingly three-way contest this time.
The UDF leadership, which regards the election more as an opportunity to deal a blow to the State government, had its campaign focused primarily on the allegations of corruptions against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government. The Left leadership, on the other hand, stands unfazed by the ongoing controversies and has bet big on the various development projects initiated by the government
The BJP, however, used the occasion more to gauge the efficiency of the party network at the grass-roots , while also assessing the popularity of the welfare initiative rolled out by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
DCC charge
Meanwhile, DCC President Babu George on Monday accused the Pathanamthitta district administration of misusing the State Election Commission’s recommendation to arrange postal voting for the COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine to favor the LDF.
According to him, the administration had kept the political parties in the dark by not providing the list of voters eligible to use the facility. Moreover, the officials having affiliations with the CPI(M) were making extensive intervention to influence the voters to vote in favour of the LDF, he said.
