The Climax of Electioneering

"Never associate with someone whome you cannot be proud of - whether you works for him or he works for you."

 A train of events occurred on the penultimate day of the election campaign – some were dramatic, some were absurd, some were violent, some were amusing. The acts of violence were beautifully timed – the UDF leaders would not be in a position to address public meetings or give statements to the Press after 5 p.m. on 11th April and the media would not be allowed to report the happenings until after 13th April…

Here is a sample. Read on…

1.The Jamat-e-Islami formally announced its support to 124 out of the 140 LDF candidates, thereby bringing its illicit relationship with the CPM out in the open.

2.The JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, a BJP ally, announced that the party was withdrawing its candidate at Malampuzha in favour of VS Achuthanandan. Barely an hour later he announced rather sheepishly that Sushma Swaraj had talked him out of it! The BJP probably had an ulterior motive in giving the seat to the JD(U) in the first place. The JD (U) perhaps had a pre-planned agenda to ditch its own candidate at the last minute. And what was the pay-off? Cash or votes? God Only Knows. In northern Kerala the RSS and the CPM are still at each other’s throats. Was the deal made down South? Who was responsible for the kiss-and-make-up drama that was abruptly withdrawn? Was it designed to send an unmistakeable message to the pro-BJP voters that they should cast their votes in favour of VS???

3. Now the proof of the CPM’s illegitimate dalliance with those it once called ‘anti-national’ and ‘extremist’ is there for every citizen to see. Is it an act of desperation by a dying Party? Or is there more to it, something more sinister….?

4. In Aryanad, Thiruvananthapuram, LDF miscreants attacked Congressmen who were campaigning for former Minister, G Karthikeyan. Four leaders ended up in hospital and two vehicles were destroyed.

5. At Venjaramoodu, on the outskirts of Thiruvanthapuram, the followers of Marxist veteran Koliacode Krishnan Nair, pelted stones and rotten eggs on Sindhu Joy who was campaigning for the UDF candidate. She was injured and is in the ICU at Thiruvanthapuram Medical College with a concussion on her head.

6. At Kalliasseri in Kannur (birthplace of late CM, E K Nayanar) the Leftists attempted to manhandle the Congress candidate Advocate Indira.

7. In the meantime, VS Achuthandanan is going around talking about protecting the chastity of all our women and girls! What about safety, my dear friend?

8. In Poonjar, Kottayam, PC George of the Kerala (M) was pelted with rotten eggs and his son was manhandled. Who did it? Please don’t ask!

9.At Ponnani, Malappuram the election office of the UDF was attacked and one person was seriously injured.

10.At Udumbanchola, Idukki, a UDF meeting was attacked by CPM activists and four Congress men were injured.

11. Achuthanandan referred to Rahul Gandhi as “Amul Baby.” It comes as no surprise that VS envies Rahul’s youth and good looks. (Most people would.) Someone gave him a Malayalam poem to read, thinking it would be a tit-for-tat reply to Rahul’s reference to Achuthanandan’s age, but he did not read it properly. (Kurangante kayyil poomaala pole…)

12.Advocate P Sreedharan Pillai of the BJP remarked that Achuthandan’s style resembles that of Josef Stalin