Thiruvanathapuram: The intense political campaign for the Kerala Legislative Assembly election to be held on April 6 ended on Sunday evening. The candidates, party leaders and their foot soldiers now intend to fine-tune last-minute logistics and strategies on Monday, the eve of the polling day.
Despite strict directions issued by the State Election Commission, hundreds thronged streets in Kerala during the final lap of the assembly election campaign on Sunday.
The Election Commission had on Friday banned the grand finale of the public campaign in the backdrop of COVID-19 spread. Following this, the political parties in the state had been holding vehicle rallies instead of processions and gatherings. However, huge crowds were seen at major city and town centres across the state.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has led a roadshow in his constituency Dharmadom in Kannur district on the final day. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also led a roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram's Nemom. Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended various public events on the day.
The public campaign concluded at 6pm at the constituencies with Naxal threats – Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery, Kalpetta, Ernad, Nilambur, Wandoor, Kongad, Mannarkkad, Malampuzha – and at 7pm in rest of the state.
The grand finale, or ‘kottikalasam’ in local lingo, has been for years a frenzied conclusion to the public campaign with all activists of all parties in the fray converging at a specific place. The Election Commission had in December last banned the grand finale of the campaign to the local bodies.
Earlier the Election Commission of India (ECI) had banned motorbike rallies for up to 72 hours before the end of polling in the five election-bound states. Bike rallies are often conducted as public campaigning climaxes 48 hours before the commencement of polling.
Though electioneering was as competitive and colourful as it was earlier, the continuing COVID-19 curbs definitely played spoil sport to the typical loud and boisterous rallies taken out on the last day of the campaigning.
An array of national and state leaders from the leading parties had led the campaign that lasted nearly a month soon after the announcement of the poll schedule.
Prominent national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, rallied support for the BJP candidates. Other Union ministers like Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitaraman also arrived in Kerala to campaign for the national party.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath too visited the state a couple of times and led road shows and addressed public meetings at different parts of the state.
Top CPM leaders like Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat complemented the efforts of the state leaders of the party in its bid to retain power. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan kept up the morale of the left cadre with frequent interventions on behalf of the party and the government whenever they were assailed by the opposition. In between he toured the length and breadth of the state and canvassed support for the candidates in the fray on behalf of the Left Democratic Front.
The Gandhi siblings, Rahul and Priyanka, were the star campaigners for Congress and its larger political platform, the United Democratic Front which is seeking to return to power after a five-year hiatus.
