For the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Dharmadom in Kannur is its invincible bastion where none other than its polit bureau member and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is seeking re-election. While the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front's (LDF) election campaign in the constituency is already under way, the United Democratic Front (UDF) is yet to commence election work there even as uncertainty continues over its candidature in the segment.
The Chief Minister, who is contesting from Dharmadom for the second time, filed his nomination papers at the Collectorate here on Monday. Deemed a pocket borough of the CPI(M), Dharmadom epitomises for the party its sense of certainty about continuity of the LDF government.
Whereas in the UDF, uncertainty still prevails as G. Devarajan of the All India Forward Bloc, an ally of the front, has reportedly refused to take on Mr. Vijayan in the constituency.
Strong candidate
Mr. Vijayan won the Assembly seat in 2016, defeating Mambaram Divakaran of the Congress with a huge margin of 36,905 votes. Mr. Divakaran has made it known to the party leadership that he was not interested in contesting in the constituency this time. Considering the need for a strong candidate in Dharmadom, some of the Congress leaders, including Mr. Divakaran, are learnt to have even suggested that KPCC working president K Sudhakaran be fielded against Mr. Vijayan.
In sharp contrast to the UDF's predicament in Dharmadom, the LDF's campaign continues apace after Mr. Vijayan started his public meeting soon after his arrival in the constituency on March 8. A star campaigner of the LDF, he is expected to conclude his campaign tour there by March 16. He would be visiting the other districts in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the BJP, which is yet to begin its campaign in the constituency, has decided to field 71-year-old C K Padmanabhan, former State president of the party. Mr. Padmanabhan is a native of Kannur.
On Monday, Mr. Vijayan filed three sets of papers. He was accompanied by chief CPI(M) district secretary M.V. Jayarajan and CPI national council member C.N. Chandran.
