As campaigning for the April 9 Assembly elections gains momentum in Kerala, the political parties are facing twin challenges: the summer heat and a thicket of rebel candidates.
The rebels are party hopefuls who have been denied tickets and are contesting on their own steam. Their goal is to spite their party by splitting its votes.
Most of the candidates across the three fronts have been holding road shows in their constituencies, typically travelling in an open Jeep to the accompaniment of dozens of two-wheelers and other vehicles. These programmes represent a “soft launch” for the candidates before the voters.
With these cavalcades threatening to bring traffic to a standstill, the police have been trying to ensure at least a single lane stays open for motorists.
Sometimes, a candidate is accompanied by a musical band. Generally, the candidates do not deliver speeches during these road shows, confining themselves to waving and acknowledging the voters.
An “announcement vehicle” at the front of the motorcade provides a detailed profile of the candidate. These road shows are taking place mostly in the evenings to beat the scorching heat.
Senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan, contesting from Vattiyoorkavu constituency in Thiruvananthapuram, told The Telegraph that he carries out his door-to-door campaign in the morning before the mercury rises.
“An election means poll heat and summer heat coming in tandem,” he said.
“As a candidate, there's no alternative to meeting all the voters in the constituency. There are not many days left for campaigning before Kerala votes on April 9.”
Both the Congress and the CPM have witnessed a surge in rebel candidates.
Congress veteran A.K. Antony condemned the rebels’ attempts to play spoilsport. He, however, maintained that the number of such candidates would be far lower this time compared with previous elections.
Many candidates from across the state filed their nominations on Saturday. The deadline ends on Monday.
Kerala will witness elections to 140 Assembly seats.