Election in Lakshadweep, reserved for Scheduled Tribes, is usually a low-key affair. But this time, the Lok Sabha polls in this archipelago spread across the Arabian Sea have assumed significance after the widespread protest against the reforms of the new Administrator and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the islands early this year sparking off renewed interest in its tourism potential.

The Prime Minister’s stopover, besides triggering the interest of international tourists in the islands, also generated some speculation on India’s readiness to compete in beach tourism with neighbouring Maldives where Indians throng in large numbers.

However, the islanders differ on the move for an overall tourism development especially in the absence of adequate infrastructure facilities to aid big ticket tourism projects. They point out the lack of adequate berthing facilities and scant availability of petrol to cater to the surging tourism demands.

Triangular contest

Lakshadweep LS constituency, having 57,784 voters comprising 29,278 men and 28,506 women, is going to polls on April 19 in a single phase.

The islands will witness a triangular contest between the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), Congress and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is supported by the BJP, its partner in the ruling NDA bloc in Maharashtra.

The incumbent Lok Sabha member Mohammed Faizal Padippura of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is pitted against Congress’ Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed and Yusuf TP of NCP (Ajit Pawar).

In the 2019 elections, Padippura won the seat, securing 22,851 votes to 22,028 polled by the Congress candidate.

The row over the reforms implemented by the Administrator, Praful Khoda Patel, has taken centre-stage in election campaigning by political parties who allege that they are meant for making inroads in the vote bank of the Muslims who dominate the population. The islanders feel the new laws have been introduced by the administration without considering the local sentiment.

Padippura, contesting for the third term, is pinning his hopes on his track record of developmental initiatives and his opposition to the administration. Speaking to businessline over phone, he said the election campaign this time is highlighting the concerns about the reforms and people will vote for the party which rally against the unilateral changes made by the present administration. Tourism development in the islands can be possible only with the participation of people, he added.

Last year, Padippura was disqualified after a conviction in a criminal case, which was later revoked.

Muhammed Saeed is working to regain the glory of the Congress which once dominated the constituency.

PM Saeed, an eight-time representative of the constituency from 1967 to 2004, was defeated by Samata Party’s Pukunjikoya in 2004. His son, Muhammed Saeed, regained the constituency in 2009, but was trounced by NCP’s PP Padippura in 2014 and 2019.

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