It s a hard days night after Kollam . Visits to the Election offices of LDF & UDF , Intimate conversations with cashew factory workers of Kollam &Eraviouram to make sense of their mood Then the reception for MA Baby at Olayilkadavu aroud 4.30 in the evening . Warm informal air . There are the local party members and leaders mostly men . But good number of women & small children to garland Baby, get his photograph and join the slogans for him and CPM and LDF. Baby has a certain way of connecting with voters ,neither to official nor too over familiar. Baby hugged me as I presented him with a gift for his 60th birthday which fell yesterday A gift of a set of Audio CDSs of Kabir Songs, Folk music that celebrated diversity , love and peace, and cards as teaching aids for those who wanted to take Kabirs songs to the people . KABIR TOOL KIT for Pluralism Peace and progress . Kayikkara Nazir who was the first to oppose NK Premachandrans plan to desert LDF in the RSP state committee gave me a low down on the Ernakulam based operation by NKP , Aziz and Chandrachoodan and Shibu John crony Reji , District secretary of Shibus RSP faction that led to the RSP cross over to the Right wing The inputs from many comrades were unanimous that Baby will romp home with a minimum margin of half a lakh votes. Jayachandran Nair , Leader of the Lawyers union led by CPI(M) is from Kollam town. He tells me that the propaganda that the Nair vote in Kollam assembly segment will see through Premachandran is a myth. Also Chavara, Shibu Baby Johns enclave giving an unbeatable lead for Premachandran . These were exaggerated claims by UDF based on some past trends . But Com Babys gains in Kundara , Eravipuram, Chadayamangalam etc would be more than enough to wipe off any deficit in Chavara and Kollam . Caught up with Premachandran at Kottukad Thevalakkara in the Chavara assembly segment , a UDF strong hold . THe UDF cadidate is escorted by 20 permanent motorcyclists with flags and the same convoy of half a dozen cars s for the entire constituency, It was well organized but the receptions in the interiors of Chavara Shibhu John fiefdom were lackluster compared to the welcoming crowds for Baby. Premachandran seemed to sport a sad face through out the tour , I felt more for effect, to project himself as an unfortunate victim of CPI(M) than the back stabber that he is .Premachandran is in a designer melancholy mood on posters as well . I met a few RSP workers in the UDF election office who knew me . They were certainly an asset to UDF. But wherever I went there was lack of a spontaneity in the reception for Premachandran. But Premachandrans recogition factor among educated youth and new voters was very high . Left behind Premachandrans Road show at Makandaouram and drove straight Ayatthil in Ervipuram for the Rally to be addressed by Prakash Karat . It was 7.45 PM when PraKash arrived from Paravoor his second public appearance for Baby . The first meting was in Kadakkal The rally at Ayathil was huge . I went there to listen to Prakash and gauge the mood of the audience but the comrades in charge of the function virtually hectored me on to the stage . So there I was sharing the stage with Prakash , Govindan Master , Com Rajgopal, PK Gurudasan and other party veterans . But it helped me to exchange a few words with Com Prakash and the senior Comrades . At the end of it all , here is my prediction : As things stand & with just three days left for campaign to conclude Com Baby is clearly recapturing Kollam for LDF with a margin of around 25000 to 30,000. I have already given Thrissur & Chalakkuddy seats To LDF . With Kollm the number of seats that LDF is going to capture from UDF goes up to 3 .
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 19:44:27 +0000
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