Congress keen to improve 2016 tally of six out of 60 seats in Malabar

Kozhikode: With another Legislative Assembly election fast approaching, the Congress is making desperate efforts to correct its poor track record in Malabar area of Kerala. In the present House, the party has a mere six Members of the Legislature Assembly (MLAs) from the 60 seats in the six districts of the region.

Interestingly, the first Congress committee in the state was set up in Malabar and the centenary of the formation of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) is being celebrated this year. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 23 seats in the 2016 Assembly polls, but 17 of them went to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).

Target: 12-15 seats

As per the calculations made by the UDF to capture power in 2021, the front has to secure at least 35 seats from the Malabar area comprising the districts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram and Palakkad. However, this would be possible only if the Congress wins 12-15 seats.

During the 2016 Assembly elections, Congress could register victory in just six seats – Peravoor, Irikkur, Bathery, Wandoor, Palakkad and Thrithala – out of the 31 it contested in Malabar. While the national party drew a blank in Kasaragod and Kozhikode districts, Muslim League candidates won 17 seats in Malabar.

Kannur, Mananthavady, Nilambur and Pattambi which had been the sitting seats of the Congress were lost in 2016. That year, Kalpetta, which had been with the Congress and later held by the then ally Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), was also lost. This time, Congress is all set to take over Kalpetta as LJD has switched to the Left Democratic Front (LDF). These five seats will be the primary targets of the Congress during the upcoming polls as winning them along with the six sitting seats would take the tally of the Congress in Malabar to the respectable figure of 11.

Meanwhile, the Congress is holding talks with IUML on taking over the Thiruvambady constituency, which the UDF lost in 2016. Congress leaders are optimistic about a win here in case its own candidate is fielded.

Plan to regain old bastions

The Congress is also hopeful about registering victories in some of its old bastions in Malabar which were later captured by the LDF. Moreover, the party believes that it can win in some pocket boroughs of the LDF where its candidates have triumphed on a few occasions. Koyilandy, Ponnani and Uduma are among these seats.

Similarly, the Congress is looking forward to capturing Nadapuram, which witnessed a close contest last time and Perambra, traditionally allotted to Kerala Congress (M) which has now joined the LDF.

According to Congress leaders, if the party could win at least three of these five seats, its target for Malabar could be achieved.

 

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