Vadakara: K K Rema was hesitant to enter the fray when the assembly election was announced in March this year.
But she changed her mind after much prodding by her Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI) colleagues.
On Sunday, Rema, who contested with the support of United Democratic Front (UDF), made a slice of history when she won the Vadakara constituency.
She defeated Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Manayath Chandran by over 7,000 votes.
Prior to 2021, the constituency had elected candidates with socialist background, barring Communist Party of India leader M K Kelu.
Rema's main opponent Chandran was the UDF candidate in the last Assembly election in 2016. Contesting as the Janata Dal (United) candidate, he lost to LDF’s CK Nanu of Janata Dal (Secular) by 9,511 votes. JD (U) joined LDF in 2018. A year later, the Kerala unit of the party became LJD.
Rema’s RMPI was founded in Onchiyam in Kozhikode district by her husband TP Chandrasekharan, popularly known as TP, after parting ways with the CPM over ideological differences. In 2012, T P was hacked to death. The murder created a huge political storm. Rema’s accusations that top CPM leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, were part of the conspiracy to kill TP had put CPM in the dock. Twelve people, including three CPM leaders, were convicted for the murder.
Rema's victory appears to be a major snub to Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader who took her candidature lightly. Even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while asked about her candidature this time, replied that 'she had contested in previous elections'. Rema replied to it sharply, saying that people of Vadakara would give Pinarayi a fitting reply on May 2. "Pinarayi is a dictator, He doesn't tolerate dissenting voices in the party and government," she had said.
