Kannur: As the second phase of Kerala’s local body elections got underway on Thursday in seven northern districts, the political rhetoric was dominated by the Sabarimala gold scam, the Rahul Mamkootathil case, and UDF’s alleged ties with Jamaat-e-Islami. Leaders from all three fronts used these issues to frame the narrative and appeal to voters ahead of a high-stakes election.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who arrived at the Dharmadom booth to cast his vote, expressed strong confidence in the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) prospects. “LDF is confident in these local body elections. During our campaign, we received a lot of positive feedback. We believe LDF will secure a historic win in all areas, including UDF quarters,” he said.

The Chief Minister also addressed the lingering Sabarimala controversy, which, according to opponents, will influence voter sentiment. “Some actions that should not have taken place did occur at Sabarimala. The government has taken a firm stance on this. Devotees feel that if it were not this government, such a strong position would not have been taken on the issue. That is why the government has their support,” he said. Vijayan further criticised the UDF over its alleged alignment with Jamaat-e-Islami, stating, “The Muslim community has rejected Jamaat-e-Islami. If UDF has befriended them thinking of tapping into the community’s votes, that will not happen. All communities will support LDF.”

Vijayan also launched a pointed attack on the UDF over the Rahul Mamkootathil case, responding to KPCC president Sunny Joseph’s claims that the second complaint was politically motivated. “What are these womanisers in UDF doing? Can’t you see the evidence? The survivors are hesitant to come forward due to the death threats against them,” he said, framing the issue as both a moral and political critique.

Sunny Joseph, meanwhile, defended his party, maintaining that the complaint should follow its legal course. “The complaint which was handed over to me reached the hands of the media at the same time. We know what this means. Let the complaint take its legal route,” he said.

“The UDF is highly optimistic. There will be a verdict against the government’s anti-people policies. The CPM is protecting those accused in the Sabarimala gold smuggling case. The party has taken no disciplinary action and has instead created a protective shield for the accused. The High Court has said there are more accused, yet the investigation has not reached them. The probe has been stalled. People will think about all this,” he added.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala slammed the Chief Minister for his remarks. Referring to a sexual assault case, he said that “Due to its vested interests, the government held on to the complaint for two crucial weeks before taking action in the case. The KPCC president, on the other hand, forwarded the complaint against Mamkootathil the moment he received it. We know what kind of womanisers the LDF is protecting.”

Former BJP state president K Surendran also weighed in, predicting significant gains for the NDA and highlighting the electoral impact of controversies like the Sabarimala gold scam and communal alignments. “NDA will make major gains in all major local bodies. The Sabarimala gold scam has created a major impact among voters. This election, the UDF is siding with Jamaat-e-Islami and the LDF is siding with the Popular Front, both of which are dangerous communal forces,” he said.