Thodupuzha: Idukki is typically divided into the High Range and Low Range regions. However, this Lok Sabha election marks the addition of a third sector - the Animal Range! Previously, the people of Idukki woke up to the sight of elephants, gaurs, and wild pigs, but now they will find political candidates vying for attention. The central issue in this election is not merely about who will win in Idukki but rather who will address the wild elephant menace haunting the constituency. Idukki, the largest Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, is now grappling with a colossal elephantine problem.
In a place where five lives were lost in wild elephant attacks within two months, no concern looms larger than survival. A decade ago, people feared the government might displace them from their lands, but today, they fear being driven away by wild elephants. If the Kasturirangan report once inspired fear, today it is wild animals. The LDF, which once capitalized on this situation, and the UDF, which suffered a setback, are now gearing up for a contest amidst a complete reversal of circumstances. Candidates who clashed before are once again in the fray.
People voicing grievances
The slogan "we are immigrants, not encroachers" echoes loudest in the constituency these days. People harbour grievances over the construction ban imposed across the entire Idukki district and the government's failure to untangle the legal complexities, even after four years.
The third battle
The constituency is poised for a hat-trick showdown between two candidates, with Joyce George standing as the Left Front candidate against the incumbent MP, Dean Kuriakose. Dean and Joyce entered electoral politics in the 2014 elections when the Gadgil-Kasturirangan report was a burning issue. Dean Kuriakose, then the State president of the Youth Congress, was fielded by the UDF, replacing the sitting MP, P.T. Thomas. Joyce George, the former legal adviser of the High Range Protection Committee, was fielded by the Left Front, which clinched victory in that round.
In 2019, the tables turned. While Joyce George won by a margin of 50,542 votes in 2014, Dean Kuriakose secured a victory with a whopping 1,71,053-vote margin in 2019. This marks the first Lok Sabha election after the Kerala Congress (M), which wields significant influence in Idukki, parted ways with the UDF.
The Idukki Lok Sabha constituency comprises Muvattupuzha and Kothamangalam Assembly constituencies of Ernakulam district, along with Devikulam, Udumbanchola, Thodupuzha, Idukki, and Peerumedu Assembly constituencies of Idukki district.
BDJS, which is part of the NDA alliance, plans to field a newcomer in the constituency. The NDA aims to bounce back from its dismal performance in the last Assembly election, where it failed to increase its vote share.
