The Aralam tribes of Kannur are under danger among the political chessboard

Her bashful grin and inquisitive eyes can’t conceal her nervousness. Her face is incredibly devoid of emotion as she leans against the wall. Rahana K. K. lost her father not even a year ago when he went to get firewood. An elephant that had emerged from their settlement’s dense undergrowth crushed Raghu. Her mother passed away a long time ago. The 15-year-old seemed hesitant to discuss the loss since it is such a vivid memory for her.

In the tribal community next to the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, she is one of the thousands of people forced to the brink. Twelve tribes, including the Paniyar, Karimpala, Kurichyar, Kattunaikar, Kani, and Mavilans, are present in the town. Entering Aralam is like entering a foreign universe, one in which labor agitations are daily events, tribal people live in poverty, and lives are lost on a regular basis. Since 2018, this location has had 16 fatalities from assaults by wild animals. A fortunate few are paid, but most others are still waiting on their dues.

K Velayudhan, the president of the Iritty Block Panchayat and the former president of the Aralam Panchayat in 2003, says, “It’s a painful saga for the tribals.”

When A K Antony was the chief minister two decades ago, ~42 crore was spent to purchase around 7,500 acres. 3,500 acres were divided among 3,335 tribal households, while 4,000 acres were set aside for the farm. Just 1,717 families are left at this time; the rest have migrated away in search of better living arrangements.

Aralam is a part of Peravoor, one of the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency’s seven assembly segments. Two seats are held by the UDF, while the other five are held by the LDF. However, the course of events usually changes during legislative elections. Irikkoor and Peravoor support the Congress, although Dharmadam and Mattannur continue to be CPM strongholds. The UDF candidate narrowly won by 725 votes in Taliparamba, a seat where the Left often has a political advantage, since the Left opted to support the Congress last time.

Because some of the biggest names in state politics, such as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM state secretary M V Govindan, minister Kadanappally Ramachandran, and well-liked CPM leader K K Shailaja, are from Kannur, the constituency presents a unique blend of assembly segments structurally. It makes sense—voters in this area appear to live and breathe politics.

The Congress state chairman and current MP, K Sudhakaran, is running for a second term in office, while the CPM has put up district chief M V Jayarajan. C Reghunath, who ran against Pinarayi in the 2021 assembly election as a UDF candidate before defecting to the BJP, has been selected by the saffron party. Even if it seems that the fronts have selected the “best” candidates that are available, several within all three fronts privately acknowledge that better candidate selection would have made things much simpler. Concerns raised by Shailaja’s race from nearby Vadakara would also affect Kannur.

Taliparamba is where the true spirit of the fight is felt as both fronts put in a lot of effort to consolidate/regain the majority. Tension in the election is evident. Recently, a couple of the Congress party’s posters and banners were damaged, which sparked a barrage of accusations and denials. There is a sizable Muslim community in the town that supports the UDF, while in other areas the CPM has strong support. In many locations, the party has even won local body votes with no opposition.

The temple celebration in Trichambaram has recently concluded. Under a massive banyan tree, scrap traders Balakrishnan, 55, of Pallikkara, and Jayaram, 60, of Kumbala, are engaged in a lively conversation before to their usual afternoon siesta.

“These days, business is boring. Now that migrants have joined the scrap market, a kilogram of scrap sells for a pitiful Rs 13, says Balakrishnan. Mohammed Blathur, a member of the KPCC, is busy planning in the UDF campaign committee headquarters. He discusses the municipality of Andoor, where the CPM has strong support.

“The most difficult effort will be keeping fraudulent votes away. With the ECI, complaints have been submitted. The Congress is not as strong in certain party villages that are under CPM control. With confidence, Mohammed adds, “We hope to win a good vote-share there.” He is often on the phone, coordinating with NRKs who have come to campaign. The incumbent’s poor performance is the main focus of the LDF campaign. “The MP hasn’t done anything for Kannur, other than erecting a high-mast light. This includes issues with Koyyam Road, Bakkalam Underpass, national highway construction, and other infrastructure projects. However, Jayarajettan is well-liked by the general public, according to party area secretary Santhosh Kanod.

It seems that both fronts are aware of their “weak” points. Many people are using some of Sudhakaran’s comments of switching to the BJP against him. The Muslim League cadre seems to be lacking passion as well, as shown by their conspicuous absence from campaign rallies.

Bypass Kannur and fail to encounter Parassinikkadavu Muthappan? Muthappan is a unique combination of revolution and religion, yet oddly, it tends to draw more communists than believers. There is now additional land purchase at Mattannur for the development of Kannur airport, and five homes in Vazhamthode are scheduled for destruction.

As one approaches the coastline at Payyambalam beach, it seems that the night is still young. A plethora of memorials, monuments, and plaques, including those honoring BJP leader KG Marar, CPM leader E K Nayanar, and Congress youth leader Satheesan Pacheni, attract both locals and visitors to the energetic location. But just one name—that of Kannur’s very own Kodiyeri Balakrishnan—evokes a lasting feeling.