Friday, April 21 2006 12:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Thiruvananthapuram: Electoral fortunes of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, nine of his colleagues in the UDF cabinet and some of the prominent CPI-M leaders will be decided tomorrow (Apr 22, 2006) in the first phase of assembly elections covering 59 segments in six southern districts of the state.

The outcome in the erstwhile Travancore region comprising Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki and Kottayamm districts is seen as crucial by both the UDF and the LDF as alternate shifts in the region have often decided the composition of ministries in Kerala.

The UDF won majority of the seats from this area in 2001 assembly polls reversing the pro-LDF tilt of 1996.

However, going by the outcome of the 2004 Lok Sabha polls and last year's civic elections, the LDF had regained much of the ground in south Kerala.

Though pre-poll surveys have predicted a comfortable win for the LDF in the state, the signals from the grounds in the last phase of campaigning show that the UDF had made the battle a grim one for its rival.

While the UDF is seeking a second term on the plank of 'development' and growth achieved by the state in different sectors of economy, the LDF had rejected the ruling combine's claim that it could lead the state to progress.

The LDF is hopeful of capitalising on the popularity of Marxist stalwart V S Achuthanandan, seen widely as a Chief Ministerial probable though his party has insisted that it is not its practice to project any particular leader for the top post.

The UDF hopes that the last minute tie-up struck with DIC (K) led by K Karunakaran would help avoid split in the traditional non-Left votes in the state.

However, the UDF-DIC(K) adjustment had triggered problems in some places with rebels entering the fray to spoil the prospects of officials candidates.

Though lagging far behind the UDF and LDF, BJP has put up nominees in the all the constituencies, but the saffron camp's campaigning had remained rather low-key in the southern segments.

The campaigning has assumed feverish pitch in the last day with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, senior BJP, CPI-M and CPI leaders touring the state canvassing votes for their respective coalitions.

Evers since the start of the campaign, Chandy and Achuthanandan have been the biggest crowd-pullers criss-crossing the state seeking vote for the contestants from the front.

The constituencies going to polls in the first phase include Chandy's pocket borough Puthupally, which he has been winning unfailingly since 1970. The LDF had fielded SFI leader Sindhu Joy against Chandy this time.

The ministers seeking mandate in the first phase are K R Gowry (Aroor), K M Mani (Pala), M V Raghavan (Punalur), Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan (Adoor), Adoor Prakash (Konni), C F Thomas (Changanassery), Babu Divakaran (Kollam), K C Venugopal (Alappuzha) and N Sakthan (Nemom).

Prominent LDF candidates are: CPI-M central committee member M A Baby (Kundara), CITU leader P K Gurudasan (Kollam), T M Thomas Isaac (Mararikkulam) and Rajya Sabha member and RSP leader N K Premachandran (Chavara).