Before the election storm, Kerala’s Vadakara stay quiet despite strong contenders and fierce rivalry

A frenzied desire for attention is shown by over a hundred males and a few females, surpassing the loud gatherings outside bars. They chose, cry out to salespeople, and pointed to their favorites while displaying obvious excitement, their eyes flashing and moving frenziedly. The most sought-after items are fountains, rockets, fire pots, and sparklers.

Consumer Fire Works, a 10-day-old store near Meppayur in Keezhariyoor, has experienced an unceasing stream of patrons over the last three days as they make their way to Perambra. People have traveled from as far away as Kozhikode, Mananthavady, and Kannur on the eve of Vishu, despite the strong gunpowder stench permeating the nearby area.

Cracker sales at certain local establishments reach <7-8 lakh per day. We had around 15,000 requests for an outlet here via the internet the last time. There are now at least 5,000 visitors every day. Owner Jithesh K T points to the scores hanging around the booth and explains, “In fact, we haven’t been able to close the shop at night for the past three days.”

Paradoxically, the cracker frenzy seems to be the quiet before the storm, about to burst and reveal the unstable electoral core. There’s no better time to gauge Vadakara’s electoral pulse than during this “cracker-filled” Vishu! In an election when the politics of violence have become surprisingly popular, particularly in the wake of the nation bombing at Panur, “cracker” markets seem to capture the extreme mental differences of the electorate.

The infamous Kannur killing fields are still very much alive in the Vadakara parliamentary constituency’s Nadapuram and Panur neighborhoods.

“Show me one individual who isn’t engaged in the production of bombs, either directly or indirectly. There, it resembles a small business. It is incorrect to assign blame to a single party. They are all involved in constructing bombs. Simply put, very few people are exposed,” claims Pattanippara, near Perambra, resident Vijayan.

He is referring to a country bomb that was detonated in Panur to set up a wild boar trap. It is a crude device that, in a sense, represents the rudimentary politics being practiced in the area. It often does more harm to the makers or perpetrators than to the intended targets. Even if political retaliation might take on its most basic form in this situation, the recent explosion has revived memories of the scene of serious political violence in the past, including the murder of T P Chandrasekharan. Additionally, it may help Vadakara’s anti-Left political formations, since it is the sole constituency that ensures a by-election to the state legislature.

Even though the Muslim League and the RMP are providing enough support for Congress’ Shafi Parambil, the CPM is relying on the popularity of former health minister K K Shailaja. In a seat with almost 1.36 lakh new voters, Praful Krishna, an up-and-coming young star, is running as an NDA candidate.

Even though the LS seat has historically favored the Left, this contest is still quite uncertain. Vadakara has always fostered its own distinct brand of socio-political sentiments; it is the town where K P Unnikrishnan won as both an LDF and a UDF candidate at separate times of time. Vadakara has historically been important for commerce and the development of culture, according to Malayalam University local historian K M Bharathan.

According to him, Kunjali Marakkar also oversaw protracted fights against the Portuguese invasion from this location, where a great chapter in the history of the national liberation effort and the Renaissance movement also came to pass.

Because to the agitations of the Beedi workers, Vadakara has had its fair share of upheavals. The 1948 shooting of Onchiyam is ingrained in voters’ political awareness.

Geographically, the constituency includes the midlands to its eastern border, the high range at Kuttiady, and the coastal districts from Koyilandi to Thalassery. The three areas have different demographics, social structures, and cultures, despite some minor similarities between them.

Via the Korappuzha bridge, which connects Vadakara to nearby Kozhikode, there are encouraging indications of growth. The NH project, which is expected to significantly improve northern Malabar, is nearly finished. A lively conversation is taking on between a group of elderly people near Kadiyangad crossroads. “The outcome of this election will determine the core of our secular character. Have you not looked at the surveys? In a straightforward statement, 73-year-old Kunju Moideen states that Pinarayi Vijayan is the only leader that the people in the state support.

Amidst guffaws, Jayan, a store owner who supports the saffron front, makes fun of, “Oh, have you got your pension?” The 82-year-old Kelappan of Arikkulam panchayat is confident in the Left Front’s prospects, saying, “Our teacher (Shailaja) will win.” Shafi, however, is endorsed by V K Chandran of the Nachad Vanitha Hotel. He makes the observation, “Look at the kind of ripples he’s making among the voters.” Ammu, the store owner in Karandod, is occupied with the last-minute arrangements for Vishu. Despite her obvious political preferences, she is well aware of any potential undercurrents. Azeez, Hameed, Majeed, and Abdulla, four pals, are watching the market closely down at Kallachi. They believe that the main topics of conversation this election will be national and international issues. Problems inside the district? Almost in unison, the buddies declare, “Politics first, politics second, and politics last.”

Residents of Nadapuram, Sanjeevan and Vinod, bemoan the reality that “we end up losing precious lives, regardless of who makes bombs.”

And the pulse at Onchiyam, which was once a well-known “red fort” but is now a somber memory of TP, the commander who was killed? “Politics is not discussed here. Not that we have avoided it on purpose. There is no need at all to teach people about political violence in Onchiyam. Our children are aware as well! It’s all in the tired eyes of Pavithran.

On the eve of Vishu, shoppers in front of a firecracker business in Keezhariyoor, close to Meppayur.
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