CSI candidate TT Praveen vs Congress turncoat S Vijayadharani; Battle heats up in Vilavancode

VILAVANCODE: Almost everyone in Vilavancode in Tamil Nadu speaks Malayalam. The town was part of ancient Travancore. However, the whole election campaign is in Tamil.

"Everyone loves Tamil now. Earlier, announcements were made in Malayalam. Few people in the current generation know how to read and write Malayalam," said an auto driver in Gnaramvilai.

By this time, a Congress campaign vehicle passed by announcing that AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik would be coming to seek votes for Congress candidate T.T. Praveen. Praveen is the secretary of CSI Dakshina Kerala Mahayidavaka.

Soon, the vehicle came, and Praveen was accompanied by Mukul Wasnik and Vijay Vasanth MP in the campaign vehicle. Mukul Wasnik's speech was in English. Everyone else resorted to Tamil. The leadership is of the belief that the traditionally congress-favouring Vilavancode would elect Praveen this time without a big fight, as the CSI votes would also come in handy.

S Vijayadharani, who contested on a Congress ticket and represented Vilavancode three times, is now the BJP candidate here. TVK candidate Michael Kumar is also in the fray.

T.T. Praveen assured that he would win with a majority of 50,000 votes. There were allegations in some media outlets in Tamil Nadu that a party member from Kerala was made a candidate in the constituency, and not a person who knows Vilavancode.

“I have been living in Vilavancode for the past 28 years. I am the secretary of a large church. But the church can never favour a party when it comes to elections. The church would always vote for a party that would benefit them in return. Help to those unable to conduct marriage due to financial stress, medical assistance for those who are financially backward, and a housing scheme will be provided if I get elected.

BJP candidate Vijayadharani is in the Nattalam area seeking votes. The candidate is 100 per cent sure of victory. Vijayadharani’s confidence stems from the fact that it was she who captured the constituency that was pro-communist for the Congress 15 years ago.