: Campaigning for the bypolls to the 5 assembly constituencies in Kerala came to an end on Saturday with the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF, the main opposition Congress-headed UDF and the BJP-NDA fighting tooth and nail to woo voters.
The bypolls are being held to Vattiyoorkavu segment in Thiruvananthapuram, Aroor (Alappuzha), Konni (Pathnamthitta), Ernakulam and Manjeshwaram (Kasaragod).
The Sabarimala women entry issue, the marks row controversy against Higher Education minister K T Jaleel and the alleged "unkept" promises by the ruling LDF were some issues raised during campaigning by the UDF and the BJP.
The LDF left no stone unturned to ensure that the Sabarimala issue was not discussed in the campaign as they had drawn flak from several quarters over the women's entry issue for its alleged hastiness in implementing the Supreme Court order,permitting women of all age groups into the hill shrine.
In the recent Lok Sabha polls, post-Sabarimala agitation, the Left front had suffered a massive drubbing, losing 19 of the total 20 seats.
Senior Left leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, steered clear of any controversial statements or provocative remarks on Sabarimala while campaigning.
Addressing election meetings at Konni in Pathnamthitta, where the Ayyappa temple is located, Vijayan had focused on the proposed airport being planned at Sabarimala and funds allocated to the temple board after last year's floods to take up development activities and putting up better facilities for pilgrims.
The campaign also saw the CPI(M) filing a complaint against the Nair Service Society (NSS), an organisation of the upper caste Nair community, alleging that it had openly canvassed votes for UDF candidates, especially at Vattiyoorkavu.
The NSS had recently urged its members to maintain the "right distance" from the two fronts-- LDF and UDF, thus deviating from its long held policy of "equidistance."
Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena had also made it clear that caste and religious organisations, which are apolitical, should keep away from poltical campaigns.
The model code of conduct clearly states that non-political organisations should not indulge in political activities, he had said.
Nonagenarian CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan, who attended a campaign rally at Vattiyoorkavu on Friday night, hit out at the UDF for creating "communal divide" among people while continuing its double standards on Sabarimala issue after securing NSS support.
Holiday has been declared on October 21 for all educational institutions, government and semi-government institutions in the constituencies.
As part of maintaining tight vigil, over 3600 police personnel have been deployed in the 5 constituencies.
The bypolls are seen as crucial for both the LDF and the UDF as it being seen as a semi-final run up to the 2021 assembly polls.
The recent victory of the LDF candiate Mani C Kappan in Pala assembly bypoll is a morale booster for the left front.
It is after nearly 50 years that the LDF has succeeded in wresting the seat from the Kerala Congress (Mani), a partner of the UDF, and it is hoping to continue its winning streak in the 5 constitutencies as well.
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