Fronts set to conclude corpn bypoll campaign with road shows
The Hindu
Polling for Ernakulam South division on May 17; counting to be held next day
KOCHI
After hectic electioneering, the major political fronts contesting the bypoll in the 62 nd division (Ernakulam South) of the Kochi Corporation are preparing for the mega road show this weekend.
While the LDF and the BJP will organise the road shows marking the culmination of the public campaign on Saturday, the Congress will organise the event on Sunday.
Polling will be held on May 17 and counting on May 18.
Though the poll outcome is unlikely to upset the power equations in the 74-member-strong Kochi Corporation Council, all the three fronts are keenly contesting the election. While the BJP is toiling it out on the streets to retain its tally of five members in the council by winning the sitting seat, which fell vacant following the death of its representative Mini R. Menon, the Congress hopes to restore its lost glory in the division, which had elected its party nominees for well over four decades. The LDF hopes to stage a win in the division and thus further consolidate its position in the council.
Padmaja S. Menon, the BJP candidate, has completed four rounds of campaign in the division and released a vision document, which was prepared by compiling the suggestions of the voters. The candidate used the campaign to introduce the welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre to the voters and the support the Centre had offered to the city including the Smart City programme. Actor Suresh Gopi will take part in the road show to be held on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the division, said Ms. Menon.
The UDF candidate, Anitha Warrier, too completed a few rounds of campaigning in the division. The candidate covered all the houses in the division at least five times. The squads of the UDF workers will again visit the voters during Saturday and Sunday with pamphlets seeking their support, said K.V. P. Krishnakumar, the former Congress councillor from the division, who is coordinating the campaign. The UDF workers will take out a road show on Sunday marking the culmination of the campaign, he said.
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