Campaigning for the April 9 assembly elections culminated in Kerala in a high-octane “Kottikalasam” (grand finale) at 6 pm on Tuesday marked by massive processions, percussion music, and immense fervor across all 140 constituencies in the state.
The final day of campaigning saw supporters of the three major fronts — UDF, LDF, and NDA — filling the streets to showcase their strength. The state will witness a silent campaign for the next forty-eight hours.
Kerala will reach the polling booths on April 9. While the LDF dreams of its continued rule, the UDF is confident of returning to power after ten years while the BJP is hoping for victory in multiple seats and play a crucial role in the state politics.
The Kotikalasam was a source of excitement for the 140 constituencies and party workers in the state. It became completely colourful as LDF, UDF and NDA workers gathered on the city and town streets with party flags. At many places, candidates climbed onto cranes, and the workers were filled with excitement.
Activists waved party flags, used ear-splitting percussion music, and danced in the streets, with many processions taking on a festive, carnival-like atmosphere with Theyyam figures and decorative umbrellas. Major centers, such as Thiruvananthapuram Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode were crowded with campaigners taking advantage of the last few hours to sway voters.
As usual, Peroorkada was the center of attraction this time too in Thiruvananthapuram. All three candidates in the Vattiyurkkavu constituency got on the crane and waved their hands, which excited the crowd. While LDF candidate VK Prashanth waved to the workers with a cooling glass, NDA candidate R Sreelekha climbed the crane wearing a crown. UDF candidate K Muraleedharan appeared wearing a Congress shawl in Thrissur, LDF , UDF, and NDA staged a vibrant finale, with colourful roadshows, percussion ensembles, multicoloured festoons and celebratory firecrackers adding to the festive atmosphere marking the end of the campaign.
The elections will decide the fate of 890 candidates contesting for 140 seats, following a campaign marked by serious accusations of corruption, financial mismanagement and mutual “deals” between the UDF and LDF against the BJP.
Despite the celebrations, the high tension led to clashes between activists of the UDF and LDF in several places, including Pattambi and Wayanad’s Mananthavady.
During the weeks-long campaigning, Kerala turned into a battleground of narratives, with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, BJP stalwarts Amit Shah and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Karnataka Congress leaders, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, hitting the campaign trail. CPM veteran and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM former general secretary Prakash Karat held fort for the LDF, asserting confidence in LDF’s third term.