Nilambur, June 10
With the second round of campaigning for the Nilambur assembly by-election gaining momentum, both the traditional rival fronts in Kerala on Tuesday expressed confidence in their victory.
With the campaigning starting to peak after the Bakrid break, two star campaigners - Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi for the Congress-led United Democratic Front - are arriving in Nilambur later this week.
Nilambur goes to the polls on June 19, and the principal fight is between Aryadan Shoukath of the Congress and M.Swaraj of the CPI-M, with two-time Left-backed Independent legislator P.V. Anvar, who quit in January following a major spat with Chief Minister Vijayan, and Mohan George of the BJP also in the fray.
On Tuesday morning, the state's ruling CPI-M held its state secretariat meeting near Nilambur and concluded that fielding Swaraj has changed things and they are on course to win the June 19 polls.
Likewise, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who is spearheading the Congress-led UDF's campaign, said they are winning hands down.
"We are heading for a win, and we will take back Nilambur," he said.