THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: LDF completing first round of campaigning and constituency conventions. UDF with a candidates list full of twists and surprises in the wake of the 'Padmaja Effect'. NDA with big guns and a vow that they will open account this time. Battlegrounds in the state have started boiling before the announcement of the parliamentary elections, which are expected to come this week. Candidates for four seats of BJP and two of BDJS are to be announced.

The LDF, which announced the candidates for all 20 seats a week and a half ago, is ahead of its rivals in campaign work. The first round of campaigning for the candidates is over. The impressive list of candidates is also a plus point. However, the LDF will have to sweat to give explanations on the welfare pension arrears and the Sidhartha issue. At the same time, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's decision to honour the family's plea in the Sidharthan case and hand over the investigation to the CBI was a good move and will shield LDF from the opposition's attacks.

UDF is confident

UDF is confident of being the latest even though they came late. Most of the candidates were confirmed early and they became active in the sitting constituencies. UDF could not keep up in the first round due to the late announcement of candidates. The speed will increase for the next run. 13 of the 16 seats contested by the Congress are sitting MPs. With Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal fielding in Wayanad and Alappuzha, UDF is as excited as winning a 20×20 match. Still, the last-minute change of heart in Thrissur and Vadakara, TN Prathapan's halfway replacement and Padmaja's counter-campaign are haunting the UDF. The 'credibility issue' raised by the opposition against the Congress is also causing tension.

NDA's rain of promises

The BJP, which is fielding Union Ministers in Thiruvananthapuram and Attingal, is promising to make party candidates Union Ministers even if they win in its other A-plus seats, including Thrissur, Palakkad and Pathanamthitta. NDA promises to create development rain in Kerala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return to the campaign on the 17th also brings excitement to the ranks. When the leaders claim to win at least five seats, opponents remind them that this is Kerala.