Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15 (PTI) With Kerala set for a single phase polls to 140 Assembly segments on April 9, political parties are preparing to take the campaign to the voters with a wide range of issues that have shaped the state’s political discourse in recent years.
The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF is expected to highlight its governance record, while the opposition Congress-led UDF and BJP-led NDA are likely to question the government on several contentious matters.
The politically sensitive issue of women’s entry to the Sabarimala Temple is once again expected to surface in the campaign.
The state government had earlier supported the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups to enter the hill shrine, but it has now diluted its stand on the matter, triggering accusations from the opposition that the move is aimed at balancing religious sentiments ahead of the polls.
Alongside this, the presence of rebels and disgruntled leaders within major parties could complicate electoral calculations in several constituencies, as independent candidates backed by local factions may split traditional vote banks.
Human-animal conflict has emerged as a serious concern in many forest fringe areas of the state, particularly in the high ranges where several people were killed in attacks by wild elephants, wild boars and other animals besides farmers reporting crop destruction.
Farmer organisations have been demanding quicker compensation and stronger preventive measures, turning the issue into a political talking point.
Agricultural distress more broadly, including rising costs and declining returns in certain sectors, is also expected to feature in campaign debates.
The ruling front is likely to project infrastructure development as one of its key achievements, citing road development, public transport improvements, port and coastal projects and other initiatives undertaken during its tenure.
At the same time, it will highlight social welfare programmes such as pensions and financial assistance schemes for the elderly, widows and people with disabilities.
However, the opposition has pointed to delays in pension disbursement, arguing that the state’s financial crisis has affected the timely implementation of these schemes.
Kerala’s public healthcare system, which has often been praised nationally, has also faced criticism following a series of alleged medical negligence incidents in recent years.
Opposition UDF and NDA are expected to raise these cases to question the government’s handling of the health sector.
Law and order issues are another area where the government could face scrutiny. The opposition has repeatedly pointed to incidents of violence and alleged police excesses, including accusations of custodial torture in some cases.
Rights groups and political leaders have demanded stronger accountability mechanisms, and these incidents may become part of the broader debate over governance.
The campaign may also include ideological and political accusations between rival fronts.
The CPI(M) and the BJP are expected to question the alleged political proximity of sections of the Congress and IUML to Islamist outfits like Jamaat-e-Islami.
Another debate could revolve around developments outside Kerala.
The ruling Left may highlight instances where senior leaders of the Congress have joined the BJP in other states to influence the minority votes.
The state government continues to accuse the BJP-led NDA at the Centre of imposing financial restrictions and limiting Kerala’s borrowing capacity, which it says has contributed to the state’s fiscal difficulties.
The Centre has rejected these allegations, making the financial crisis a major political argument during the campaign.
Rehabilitation and development issues in Wayanad could also feature prominently, particularly regarding the pace of recovery after disasters and the level of assistance from the Union government.
The state leadership has repeatedly alleged that the Centre has shown an apathetic approach, while the opposition disputes this claim.
National political debates are also likely to influence the campaign in Kerala.
Issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act, the proposed National Register of Citizens, and other citizenship-related policies may be raised, as Kerala’s political parties have taken strong positions on these matters in the past.
The LDF is also expected to highlight concerns over the new labour codes introduced by the Union government, which they argue could weaken worker protections.
Political controversies involving individual leaders may also enter the campaign narrative.
The ruling front is expected to target expelled Congress Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil over allegations of rape against him, while the opposition is likely to bring up the marital dispute involving Transport Minister and Kerala Congress (B) leader K B Ganesh Kumar.
The opposition has also accused the state government of using public funds for large-scale advertisements and opinion surveys that promote its achievements, describing them as political propaganda.
The government has defended the spending as part of its effort to inform the public about development programmes.
Meanwhile, the BJP is likely to campaign aggressively by highlighting its organisational growth in the state, including its recent victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, which the party sees as an indication of its expanding support base. PTI TGB SA
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.