Chief Minister Scheduled for Puthupally Visit Tomorrow; 15 Ministers to Participate in Campaign, Opposition Remains Unyielding

Responding to opposition criticism about the absence of the Chief Minister and ministers from the Puthupally by-election campaign, a contingent of 15 ministers, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will commence campaigning in Puthupally starting tomorrow.

All ministers, with the exception of V Sivankutty, Ahmed Devarkovil, K Krishnankutty, J Chinchurani, and K Bindu, are set to engage in a three-day campaign across all eight panchayats within the constituency. The Chief Minister’s campaign schedule includes addresses in each of the panchayats. Over the course of three days, the Chief Minister will hold a total of eight meetings, beginning with Puthupally and Ayarkannam panchayats on the first day, followed by public gatherings in six additional panchayats on September 30 and October 1.

The focal point of the campaign, attended by the audience of 15 ministers, revolves around the development message. The campaign aligns with the Left Front’s primary strategy, highlighting perceived developmental shortcomings in Puthupally. Thirteen ministers are slated to partake in campaign meetings across various panchayats today, with the constituency being divided into 20 zones for campaign coordination.

As candidates from all three political fronts intensify their campaigning efforts in the constituency, prominent figures like A.K. Anthony, K.C. Venugopal, Tariq Anwar, and Shashi Tharoor from the UDF are expected to join the campaign. The NDA campaign is also active, featuring notable figures such as BJP National General Secretary Dr Radha Mohan Aggarwal, Union Minister V. Muralidharan, National Secretary Anil Antony, K. Surendran, Kummanam Rajasekharan, and BDJS State President Tushar Vellapalli. Actor Suresh Gopi is slated to make an appearance soon.

The anticipated arrival of the Chief Minister in Puthupally has drawn attention due to Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan’s allegations involving his daughter Veena in a financial controversy. The political landscape of Kerala is eager to witness whether the Chief Minister will address the contentious issues during his visit to Puthupally.