It is not always that an act of nature forces detours in polling campaigns and disrupts candidates’ schedules.
Nevertheless, ‘Kallakkadal’, a freak phenomenon during which swell waves caused flash floods in many areas along the coastal belt of Kerala over the last two days, has prompted high-profile candidates in Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency to make a hasty beeline for the coast.
Scoring brownie points
With the coastal community considered a key vote base capable of determining the electoral outcome in the prestigious constituency, the coalitions spared no opportunity to reap brownie points among the locals, even while finding a reason to pin responsibility for their woes on political rivals.
United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Shashi Tharoor rejigged his campaign schedule to visit the affected areas of Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
The move did not surprise many since the region has contributed significantly to his three previous constituency wins.
Touring the fishing hamlets of Poovar, Karamkulam, and Pulluvila with local representatives, the Congress leader demanded that Left Democratic Front (LDF) government provide immediate financial assistance to the affected sections from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
He also spoke to the District Collector and sought necessary relief measures. He concluded his tour only after interacting with the families rehabilitated in relief camps and the vicars of various churches in the region.
Blame game
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, representing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the hustings, used the natural calamity to blame the successive LDF and UDF governments for their alleged long-standing neglect of the region for over six decades.
Refusing to become a passive observer of the local community’s anguish, he furthered his cause by appealing for a “change” to reject “those who derived pleasure from the continuous hardship of coastal communities.”
Decrying a purported tendency to “look towards the north” to pin responsibility for such issues, the BJP leader also pledged to find a permanent solution.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) Pannian Ravindran took stock of the situation during his visit to Adimalathura and Poovar late Sunday. After inquiring about the possibility of sand bars separating the backwaters from the sea to provide passage for the floodwaters to drain out, the CPI veteran interacted with revenue officials, local body leaders, and residents before concluding the unscheduled tour.
