Poll-bound Kerala to witness 'political yatras'

Criss-crossing all 140 assembly constituencies, yatras will end in Thiruvananthapuram

With Assembly polls in Kerala just months away, major political parties are gearing up to organise high-profile 'campaign yatras' across the state with the participation of national leaders.

Congress, which is heading the ruling United Democratic Front, Indian Union Muslim league, the second largest partner in the Front along with CPI-M and CPI in the Left Democratic Front Opposition have already come out with details of its yatras.

Criss-crossing all the 140 assembly constituencies, the yatras which is scheduled to start from Kasargod district in Northern Kerala will end in Thiruvananthapuram in South.

BJP, considered to be the dark horse in state politics, is also planning a yatra which will be led by its new state President Kumannom Rajasekharan.

The party, which failed to win a seat in both assembly and Parliament so far, is in an upbeat mood after it got an ally to its fold in Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a powerful organisation of numerically strong backward Ezhava community in the state.

KPCC President V M Sudheeran will lead the yatra of Congress titled "Kerala Jana Raksha Yatra", expected to give a push and rejuvenate party cadres and also the Front partners before the polls.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the campaign at Kumbala in the Kasaragod District on January 4. It will conclude with a massive rally at Thiruvananthapuram on February 9.

The yatra would highlight, among other things, the slogan of liquor, crime free and secular Kerala. It would highlight the need for afight against communalism and fascism allegedly "espoused by Sangh Parivar forces", as well as the "politics of violence allegedly followed by CPI-M."

The achievements of the UDF government under the slogan of 'Development and Care' would be another plank of the yatra, Sudheeran has said.
The Yatra also comes closely on the heels of visit of

Congress President Sonia Gandhi to the state and asking party leaders to eschew their "differences" and fight the coming polls unitedly.

CPI(M) has appointed party veteran and former State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to lead the 'Nava Kerala March' between January 15 and February 14. Party leader Prakesh Karat will flag off the march.

"Secularism, corruption free and developed Kerala" is the slogan of the march which would bring into focus the bar bribery and solar scams that rocked the UDF government.

The CPI-M Yatra by Vijayan has triggered speculation that he would be the Chief Ministerial candidate of LDF if it comes to power, but the party was quick to dismiss it, saying Chief Minister would be decided after the polls when the time comes.

The yatra of CPI, the second largest partner in the LDF, will be led by state secretary Kannam Rajendran. The 'Janakeeya Yatra' will be inaugurated by party national General Secretary Sudhakar Reddy on January 27.

IUML leader and Industries Minister P K Kuhalikutty is the yatra captain of the party, which will begin on January 24 and end at Thiruvananthapuram on February 11. The main objective of the 'Kerala Yatra' is to strengthen its vote bank and highlight the achievements of the UDF government.

The state assembly polls is expected to be held in April end or May.