Aroor: "Who cares if the candidate is a man or woman? You have to be capable. You have to get things done," the cucumber seller on a pavement in Aroor sums up the mood in the constituency, where both dominant alliances have opted for woman candidates. After all, women keep Aroor's economy alive, peeling shrimps in numerous processing sheds and making coir in the many centres along the coastal constituency.
Congress candidate Shanimol Usman, who wrested the seat from the CPM in the 2019 assembly byelection, is in a hurry. She said she was trying to meet as many electors as possible. Her rival, Daleema Jijo, the vice president of the Alappuzha district panchayat, is a crowd puller, thanks to her repertoire of songs.
The playback singer-turned-politician is serving her second term in the district panchayat. She belts out a tune or two during her campaign. Usman, a seasoned politician and advocate, has her fiery oratory to rely on.
"I have to catch up with as many people as possible. I can't afford to slow down," said the legislator who has matched her trademark white cotton sari with a utilitarian pair of sports shoes. She was down with COVID-19 for some time but she said hardly feels the fatigue.
"You elected me in the byelection, for a year and a half. Now please elect me for five full years," she tells the electors in Aroor. Someone complains that they have not seen her since the previous election. Usman stopped in her tracks to answer: "That is the question you should ask. I hardly got 15 months. I could not meet anyone after I tested positive for COVID-19. But I was with you all for the few days I got."
She said that she could usher in development activities of Rs 15 crore in the short time.
Usman is positive about more women entering politics. "No sector can proceed without women. Educated women are an asset to society."
What does she think of her opponent, who is also a woman? "It does not matter if the candidate is a man or woman. You should talk about their interventions on behalf of the people."
Is the candidate too stern? Coir worker Ambika was quick to retort: "That is how it should be. If a male leader were to tell you something seriously, you would appreciate it. Women should also present things seriously."
Ambika said Usman was the Mamata Banerjee of Aroor.
Daleema Jojo's campaign is a welcome relief for the workers who toil through the day. She obliged the women working in a shrimp peeling shed and crooned a popular Malayalam movie song.
She connects well with the voters. A woman tells the candidate about her suffering and breaks down. The candidate could not keep her composure. Her eyes welled too.
Do politicians cry? "Crying is not a sign of weakness," Jojo said back in the car as she travelled to the next campaign spot. "Workers in peeling sheds and coir processing centres have a hard time surviving each day. If their experience does not sear you, you can't claim to be human."
Jojo takes her time listening to everyone despite nudges from her party workers. Her campaign is a mix of short speeches and songs.
"When I made my debut in election, I was like a kindergarten student in politics. I quickly learned everything after that. I can speak softly because I am convinced of what I am saying," she said as she met a group of farm labourers working under the government employment guarantee scheme.
Jojo has a clear stand on the increased role of women in politics. "That is a beautiful sight to behold. Women have a knack for dealing with any situation with presence of mind. They know better what the people want. I would say that politics shines brighter with more women."
Ability is a key factor than gender, she added.
The NDA candidate comes from the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena. T Aniyappan was a candidate in Aroor in the 2016 assembly election too. He is the district president of the BDJS and a director of the SNDP Yogam.
