Ground Zero: Ernakulam. Cong expects to safeguard its bastion in Ernakulam; LDF, BJP, and Twenty20 snapping at heels

Kochi

Ernakulam, the industrial nerve centre of Kerala, has a reputation for being a Congress bastion and for electing a candidate from the Latin Catholic Community. Except for Sebastian Paul, who contested as a CPI (M)-supported independent candidate, the constituency, spread over seven assembly segments, has always elected a Congress nominee as its representative in the LS elections.

Both the LDF and the UDF vie with each other to select candidates from the Latin Catholic community, which accounts for nearly 45 per cent of the population. Overall, the constituency comprises 55 per cent Christians, who exert a considerable influence on candidate selection and electoral outcomes.

Hibi Eden, the sitting MP, won the seat with a record majority in 2019. He is politically well-known for his dynamism and wide contacts, cutting across party affiliations. The Congress camps in the constituency started pre-poll preparations almost six months before the party formally announced the candidature of Eden, who defeated P Rajeeve by a margin of 1.69 lakh votes in the last election, which witnessed a voting percentage of 78.68.

• Also read: Cong hopes to replicate Assembly win in Telangana; BJP bets big on doubling seats tally

The choice fell on Hibi Eden as Congress satrap KV Thomas, who had represented the constituency several times, found himself sidelined by the party leadership due to internal squabbles. Denial of a ticket in the 2019 election led to his migration to CPI (M).

The CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front has sprung a surprise this time by fielding a woman municipal councillor from the nearby North Paravur Municipality as its candidate. A teacher by profession, KJ Shine has made her presence felt in the constituency with her dynamism and articulation. The BJP has fielded KS Radhakrishnan, former vice chancellor and chairman of the Kerala Public Service Commission.

Twenty20, the political arm of Kitex Group, is also trying its luck in the 2024 polls, encouraged by a 50 per cent jump in voting percentage in the last polls. Sabu Jacob, State president of Twenty20, believes that his political entity can be a third option for the people who wish for a corruption-free government.

Like in many other places, political issues dominate the campaign in Ernakulam, with the UDF and the LDF focusing their attention on the misdeeds of the Union Government headed by the BJP. The UDF is equally vehement in exposing the LDF government’s failure on many fronts in the state. The BJP is focusing on the theme of the Modi Ki Guarantee, coupled with the shortcomings of both the UDF and LDF in the state over the years.

Unfortunately, as the campaign gathers pace, some of the burning issues in Ernakulam are getting ignored. As a fast-growing metropolis in the Tier-II category, Kochi is facing a plethora of infrastructure deficiencies, including severe waterlogging and traffic jams. The district, with its long coastline, is also vulnerable to many ecological dangers arising from climate change.

The constituency encompasses Kalamassery, Paravur, Vypeen, Kochi, Tripunithura, Ernakulam, and Thrikkakara assembly constituencies.

COMMENT NOW