Kerala Elections: Congress & BJP to campaign and hold rallies; PM & Priyanka Vadra in fray

As Kerala heads for assembly elections this year, political parties in the fray will address rallies and hold meetings in the state on Tuesday. The ruling Left Democractic Front (LDF) has locked horns with opposition alliance United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP. The LDF and UDF alliances have been in power alternately in the last few decades. Spearheading Congress' rally on Tuesday, the grand old party's General Secretary (GS) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will address rallies and hold meetings in Kerala. Apart from Congress, the BJP will also address a rally in Kerala. PM Modi is addressing a rally in Kerala at the time of publishing. 

Priyanka Gandhi in Kerala

Priyanka Gandhi will hold meetings with UDF candidates in several Kerala districts. She will commence her two-day campaigning schedule at 11 am, starting off with assembly constituencies of Karunagapalli, Kunnathur and Chavara in Kollam District. This will later be followed by meetings in other constituencies of Kollam like Iravipuram, Chathannur and Kundra. In addition, she will also visit Kottarakkara, Pathanapuram, Punalur and Chadayamangalam. 

In Thiruvananthapuram , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will meet with UDF candidates in Varkala, Attingal, Vamanapuram and Nedumanghad. Other constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram where the Congress GS will visit are Aruvikkara, Kattakada and Parassala. Gandhi will conclude her Tuesday campaigning by addressing a meeting and a speech in Valiyathura.

Prime Minister Modi to visit Palakkad

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will address a public meeting in Palakkad ahead of elections. Ahead of his visit, roads have been marked with huge cut-outs of PM Modi and several flags of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). There is a heavy deployment of police force at the venue where PM Modi will address the people. The saffron party has roped in Metroman E Sreedharan, who will contest from Palakkad.

Kerala Assembly polls

In the 2016 Kerala Assembly election, the CPI(M)-led Left Front swept the 140-member Assembly by bagging 91 seats. On the other hand, UDF managed to win only in 47 constituencies. After the LDF won, CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Kerala on May 25, 2016. While the UDF made huge gains in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by winning 19 out of 20 seats in the state, the ruling alliance made a comeback in the local body polls held in December 2020 by winning 7,262 seats as against that of UDF and NDA that could win 5,893 and 1,182 seats respectively. 

Though Vijayan remains the CM face for LDF, the UDF has not yet projected any Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming election. On the other hand, BJP is hoping to make inroads in the state by roping in Metroman E Sreedharan as its election candidate from Palakkad. In Kerala, 140 seats are up for grabs and people will be able to cast their votes at 40,771 polling stations. While the polling will be conducted in a single phase on April 6, the counting of votes is scheduled for May 2.