A galaxy of national leaders are all set to descend on the Malabar region after Vishu, which is celebrated on April 14, to boost the campaigning of the candidates put up by their respective political parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The campaigning in some parts of the region had been on a slow pace, mainly owing to the summer heat and the fasting in the Ramzan month. Some candidates have taken a break for a couple of days now. With just around two weeks to go for the polling day, the arrival of national leaders is likely to give a leg-up to their efforts to woo the voters.
From UDF
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president and the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate from the Wayanad segment, is expected to attend public meetings in his constituency at Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery, and Kalpetta on April 15. In the evening, he is scheduled to attend an event on the Kozhikode beach. On April 16, he will attend another meeting in Thiruvambady.
D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, will attend public events at Koduvally and Nadapuram in Kozhikode on April 16. Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala, MLA, is expected to participate in meetings at Kozhikode, Vadakara, and Wayanad on April 19. The former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran will be in Kozhikode on April 16.
From CPI(M), CPI
Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] general secretary, is all set to attend meetings in Kasaragod, Kannur, Vadakara, Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Alathur between April 16 and April 21. The sources say that he is expected to address public events at Kozhikode and Vadakara on April 17. Party Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat will attend meetings in the fourth week of April. Brinda Karat, another Polit Bureau member, will visit the Malabar districts from April 15. Tapan Sen, Subhashini Ali, and Vijoo Krishnan are some of the other central leaders of the CPI(M) who will take part in the campaign. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to attend meetings in Kozhikode and Vadakara on April 19 and April 20. Communist Party of India national general secretary D. Raja is also scheduled to attend a meeting at Perambra on April 21.
NDA leaders
From the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), there are plans to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kozhikode, but the schedule has not been confirmed as yet. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J.P. Nadda has already attended a roadshow for M.T. Ramesh, NDA candidate from Kozhikode. Prakash Javadekar, senior leader in charge of Kerala, is attending events at Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.
