On counting day, this is one constituency Prakash Karat will be watching keenly and not just because it is his hometown. An equally keen watcher will be Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, again not just because he represents Malampuzha, one of Palakkad’s Assembly segments. What is ‘historic’ (‘new’ would have sufficed for lesser parties) is that there is no electoral outcome that can make both Marxists happy.

Till now, whenever this red bastion swung away from the party, it has been for reasons external. This time, however, the adversity (read Achuthanandan) is well within.

It is an unusually dissonant CPI(M) that is defending this seat which it won four times in a row. N N Krishnadas, the sitting MP, seen as far too friendly with the CM for Pinarayi Vijayan’s liking, was dropped despite not having any incumbency issues. The replacement, M B Rajesh, a young lawyer and electoral new face, however, betrays no fear of revolt and expects goodwill votes in the bulk.

“People know me here and through 20 years of public life, I have made many friends,” he said. He is as home-grown as Palakkad’s very own rice breeds and is no “implant” like Congress rival Satheesan Pacheni.

Satheesan retorts that people — particularly its 42,000 first time voters — vote for reasons better than geographical indicators. He should know his poll calculus. He contested twice for the Assembly and lost to no less a rival than Achuthanandan, thanks to whose very loyalists he hopes to be third time lucky. In any case, his own partymen are no big help. Busloads flock to cheer Rahul Gandhi but the starched Khadi-clads can’t sweat it out in the state’s worst summer zone.

... contd.