Kanjirappally gears up for a political showdown

As the United Democratic Front (UDF) sets its sights on a comeback in Kanjirappally, the political temperature is rising sharply in this rubber heartland, with all the ingredients of a high-voltage contest falling into place.

Reclaiming the Assembly segment, which still carries the political DNA of the erstwhile Vazhoor constituency, is central to the Congress-led front’s Mission Central Travancore. The Congress is yet to finalise its candidate, with the shortlist ranging from former legislator and senior leader Joseph Vazhackan to a clutch of new faces who made their presence felt in the local body elections, said a senior party leader.

According to him, the broader UDF strategy is to ride the momentum generated in the local body polls. “Catholic votes, which are crucial in deciding the outcome in this region, have swung back in favour of the UDF, as reflected in the local body election results,” he added.

Much like Pala, which swung back to the UDF in the previous election following a dramatic shift in the allegiance of its sitting MLA, Kanjirappally too witnessed a political turnaround last time. Despite being a traditional UDF stronghold, the constituency tilted towards the Left after the Kerala Congress (M) crossed over to the Left Democratic Front (LDF). For the LDF, the sitting MLA and KC(M) leader N. Jayaraj has all but secured his ticket.

Matter of political prestige

A four-time legislator, Mr. Jayaraj has represented Kanjirappally since 2011 and is seeking to extend his winning streak, banking on a series of development projects implemented during his tenure. The UDF, however, sees the battle as more than a routine electoral contest. Winning back Kanjirappally is a matter of political prestige, and would serve as a pointed riposte to the KC(M), which crossed over to the rival camp five years ago.

While local body election results were not particularly encouraging for the party, the KC(M) remains hopeful of retaining the seat, citing the constituency’s traditional Kerala Congress character, a party leader said.

Adding another layer of intrigue is an aggressive push by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which commands a noticeable footprint in the constituency. Sources indicate that Noble Mathew, vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Minority Morcha, has emerged as a frontrunner among the BJP’s probable candidates. The NDA made significant inroads into Kanjirappally during the Sabarimala protests of 2018 and is keen to consolidate those gains.

Largely carved out of the old Vazhoor Assembly segment, once represented for decades by Kerala Congress stalwart K. Narayana Kurup, Kanjirappally spans parts of the Kanjirappally, Changanassery and Kottayam taluks.