Chengannur Bye-Elections: Its’ Again LDF Versus UDF

The Chengannur bye-elections, scheduled on May 28, has become a crucial battle ground for all the three major contestants – the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. However, the regional parties’ moves in choosing among the three fronts, is what will make these elections more interesting.

The CPI(M) has fielded  its Alappuzha district secretary Saji Cherian, the Congress has fielded D Vijayakumar, and BJP has fielded the national executive member P S Sreedharan Pillai in the contest. The three parties had announced their contestant names way before the election dates were declared.

Of the 1,88,702 voters on the electoral rolls, the constituency has nearly 44 percent Hindu Nair voters, 29 percent Christians and 22 percent Ezhavas. The municipal town in Alappuzha has been a Congress bastion since 1970, until the CPI(M) won the seat in 2016.

While both the BJP and Congress Candidates represent Nair Community, the CPI(M)’s Cherian represents Chirstian community.

The bye-elections are necessitated after the incumbent CPI(M) MLA K K Ramachandran Nair passed away in January. In the previous 2016 elections in this constituency, Nair rhad eceived 52,880 votes, who defeated Congress’ Vishnunath by 7,983 votes. The BJP’s P S Sreedharan Pillai stood third with 42,000 votes, but registered an increase in BJP’s vote share from 5 percent to 30 percent.

Projecting the achievements in its two-year rule, the ruling CPI(M) is reaching out to the voters to retain the seat. While for the Congress, the recently received support from Kerala Congress (M) has become a boost, the BJP has undergone a set back as its ally in the state – Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), which represents backward Hindu Ezhavas – has recently withdrawn its support from the saffron party.

Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP), a group of the Ezhava's community, on May 23, had announced that the party is not going to back any of the candidates and appealed its supporters to choose according to their choice. This SNDP stand was welcomed by the state CPI(M) leaders, who reportedly said that the majority of the SNDP workers are with the Left alliance.

As the BJP was hoping to get SNDP’s and BDJS’s support, the parties’ recent moves make its clear that the main fight is again going to be between LDF and UDF.

Other candidates in the fray are Rajiv Pallath (Aam Aadmi Party), Jiji Poonthala (Rashtriya Lok Dal), Madhu Chengannur (Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)), Subhash Naga (Ambedkarite Party of India), Chalakkeri (Independent), Unni Karthikeyan (Independent), M.C. Jayalal (Independent), Murali Naga (Independent).

Apart from Chengannur, the bye-elections will be held in 10 other assembly constituencies in nine states and four Lok Sabha constituencies in three states on May 28. The results will be declared on May 31.