Exuberance abounds in Thiruvananthapuram

Shashi Tharoor was in the constituency for the first time since he declared his candidacy for the general elections in 2024. He had just landed at the international airport of Thiruvananthapuram. But other from a few TV journalists and camera crews, no one was present to greet him. Not a single member of Congress was present. There were no signs or banners to greet him.

Tharoor, however, would not have given it any thought. Because to his charm and personal qualities, he had already won Thiruvannathapuram three times.

This former diplomat turned politician has always been treated with contempt by the local Congress leadership.

To get the party apparatus going, Tharoor really had to lodge a complaint with the national leadership. Nevertheless, he prevailed despite the suspicions raised by his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s passing during the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Tharoor gradually carved up a specialized voting bloc for himself. Thiruvananthapuram voters, for the most part, were pleased to have a “global citizen” representing their community. The state capital of Kerala formerly elected politicians like V K Krishna Menon, K Karunakaran, and M N Govindan Nair to Parliament due to the similar liking for “VIPs.” In Thiruvananthapuram, personality are just as important as politics, if not more so.

However, Tharoor’s opponent this time around is Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is also quite well-known. If Tharoor is a prolific author and speaker, Chandrasekhar is a software entrepreneur who has achieved success. Though Tharoor is renowned for his ability to gab, Chandrasekhar is regarded as a man of action. While Tharoor seems dapper, Chandrasekhar gives off the vibe of a serious businessman.

The same voter base that Tharoor and Chandrasekhar are largely targeting includes the upper class, upper caste, young, and aspiring middle class. Considering that 72% of voters in Thiruvananthapuram are urban, this vote bank is important there compared to other parts of Kerala.

Exuberance abounds in Thiruvananthapuram.
Why India Cannot Live Without the Congress Kerala Politics might be permanently altered if a lotus sprouts in the nation’s capital

In addition, consider Tharoor’s unimpressive performance as an MP during the last 15 years. His justification that he was “helpless an opposition MP” has simply made matters worse in the context of the “Modi ki guarantee.”

It goes without saying that Chandrasekhar makes it a point to inform all of his interviewers that he believes in the “politics of performance” and does not have time to look up definitions.

Seeing that his support base in urban areas is changing, Tharoor is making a concerted effort to hold onto support in rural and coastal areas. During the 2014 BJP surge in all city segments, Tharoor’s support came mostly from the rural area, which is home to Muslims, Nadar community members, and Latin Christians.

With great care, Chandrasekhar and his group are trying to penetrate these voter bases. However, the weak point in his defense is the lack of ground activity by the local BJP cadre. This can come at a heavy price.

With his dignified and commoner persona, CPI candidate Pannian Raveendran is taking a completely different approach as these two jet-setting politicians square off. Raveendran, who secured a record 51% vote margin in a 2005 by-election to win Thiruvannathapuram, is concentrating on retaining the historic Leftist voter base. In the district’s six seats, the LDF had won five of them in the 2021 Assembly elections.

One of the few surviving daal-vada and black tea type old-school communists, Pannian is still able to instantly connect with the working class. Raveendran is reportedly benefiting from the current hostility that the Muslim community has shown Tharoor due to his remarks on the Ram Temple and the Palestine problem. But Chandrasekhar’s chances are threatened by the possibility that the CPM would “transfer” its votes to Tharoor should he have a chance to win.

The state’s politics will be permanently altered if the Lotus blossoms on Sri Padmanabhan’s land.

Moved to observe

In T’Puram, the CPI has put up 78-year-old Pannian Raveendran. However, there are rumors that if Chandrasekhar has a chance to win, the CPM cadre would support Tharoor, which might harm the Left candidate’s chances.

Exuberance abounds in Thiruvananthapuram.
Rajeev presses Tharoor to substantiate the allegations of vote-buying.