Chandy and Achuthanandan seize leadership of the campaign

Thiruvananthapuram: As election campaign reaches it crescendo in Kerala, leadership of the campaign is in the grip of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan, though it was supposed to be a campaign led by triumvirates in both the Congress-led United Democratic Front and CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front.

The Congress high command had entrusted preliminary vetting of candidates and campaign to joint leadership of the Chief Minister, KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.

In CPI (M), Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan, party State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and former State Secretary Pinarai Vijayan were to be on the forefront of the campaign. There were debates as to whether Mr. Achuthanandan or Mr. Vijayan should be the Chief Minister if the LDF is elected to power.

However, as the campaign progressed, the match was being played between the Chief Minister and Opposition. The campaign themes are being decided by them and fought through social media, television and public meetings. However, their leadership is still under challenge.

Mr. Chandy had seized the initiative as far as the UDF campaign is concerned and the others played relatively minor roles. Even Muslim League leader P. K. Kunhalikutty and Kerala Congress (M) K. M. Mani were subdued.

However, senior Congress leader A. K. Antony was seen trying to give direction to the campaign. In this process, Mr. Antony and Mr. Chandy seemed to have difference in perceptions about BJP and that created confusion.

The Opposition Leader entered the arena after some uncertainly owing to sectionalism in the party. Ever since, the campaign has revolved around him. Mr. Achuthanandan and Mr. Chandy are getting the maximum media attention.  Mr. Vijayan is not in the limelight and he even skipped some media conferences on the ground that the media were misreporting what he was saying. In the CPI (M), the party Secretary plays a Central role in organising the campaign. However, Mr. Balakrishnan too did not try to get into the limelight.

The BJP has no prominent leader leading the campaign at the State level but for State president Kummanam Rajasekharan who was inducted into the party recently. The campaign is being managed by the RSS and the Central leadership, and the most visible campaigner for the National Democratic Alliance is of Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.  Several of the Union Minsters and national leaders including party president Amit Shah are making whirlwind tours.

A visible presence in the Alliance at the State level is that of Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of the social organisation Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam. Technically, he is not an NDA leader. The Bharatiya Dharma Jana sena (BDJS), formed at his initiative, is part of NDA; but he is not an office-bearer of the party. However, he is actually leading the BDJS and positions himself as an NDA leader.