Kozhikode: The upcoming election to the Kerala Legislative Assembly is set to mark a generational shift in the state's political landscape. Veteran legislators with several back-to-back wins or stints in the legislature may step aside for fresh faces. As both the Left Democratic Front and the challenger United Democratic Front may bring in new candidates in several seats, the prospects of their youth and student activists entering the poll fray are high.
For instance SFI state secretary Sachin Dev and KSU state president K M Abhijith could contest from one of the constituencies in Kozhikode district. If they are picked up their respective parent parties, CPM and Congress, it would mark their debut in an electoral contest outside the school or college campus.
(SFI is the Students' Federation of India and KSU is the Kerala Students Union.)
Sachin and Abhijith were members of the students union of the Government Arts And Science College at Meenchanda in Kozhikode city. Both were students of the 2011-14 degree batch of the college. In the last year of their degree course, Sachin was elected chairman and Abhith was the university union councillor. Subsequently, Abhijith became the chairman of the University of Calicut.
Kozhikode North or Perambra?
If Abhijith is chosen as a candidate he could be fielded from Kozhikode North. The Congress will make an attempt through Abhijith to wrest this assembly seat from CPM's A Pradeepkumar who has already won three consecutive terms from here.
Otherwise, Abhijith will be considered for Perambra if the Congress decides to take the seat from where Kerala Congress (Mani) candidate had contested last time. The latter party is with the LDF now.
Sources say Muslim League too has an eye on the Perambra seat.
Balussery for Sachin?
The CPM may offer Balussery seat for its student leader Sachin.
Purushan Kadalundy, the CPM MLA, who is set to complete his second term from the Balussery constituency may not contest this time. CPM suggestion to swap this reserved seat with Nadapuram which is currently held by the CPI has not been accepted by the latter yet. Mostly, CPI candidates had won from Nadapuram in the state elections since 1957.
In the 2016 election the League and the Congress had swapped the Balussery and Kunnamangalam constituencies. The former wants to relinquish Balussery for some other safe seat.
