Kochi: Octogenarians, septuagenarians and a 92-year-old are among others in the poll arena, sweating it out with rivals half their age to woo voters in the April 13 Assembly polls in Kerala. Among those in the fray are three 'seniors' who are well past their 80s, including Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan. The three senior-most candidates in the electoral bandwagon are 92-year-old K R Gowri from Chertala, 82-year-old O Rajagopal from Nemom, besides Achutanandan from Malampuzha.
87-year-old Achuthanandan, who is spearheading the CPM-led Left Democratic Front campaign, was given the go-ahead to contest by the CPM State Committee which had to reverse its earlier decision not to give him a ticket on
"health grounds." The state unit was forced to change its stance following
the intervention of the central leadership.
The Chief Minister, unmindful of his advanced age, has been covering the length and breadth of the state and his campaign has been drawing a lot of attention. At every meeting, VS, as he is called, doesn't miss an opportunity to hit out at the main opposition UDF leaders in his distinctive sing-song style which is a huge hit among the masses.
His rival is 46-year-old Latika Subash, representing the Congress-led United Democratic Front. K R Gowri, the oldest candidate in the fray, is a former
firebrand Communist leader, and is now leading JSS (Janadhipathiya Samrakshana Samithi), a UDF partner.
Gowri has contested elections 16 times so far and has lost only thrice - the first time in 1948 when she made her electoral debut, then in 1977 and in 2006. Three elections she contested were before the state was formed. LDF's P Thilothaman (CPI), in his forties, has been pitted against Gowri Amma, as she is known.
Gowri was the Revenue minister in the first elected Communist Government headed by E M S Namboodiripad in 1957 and had piloted the first Land Reforms Bill. Gowri then joined the CPM and was expelled from the Marxist party in 1994 following which she formed the JSS.
Former minister of state for Railways and BJP member O Rajagopal is contesting from Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram. He had earlier unsuccessfully contested to the Lok Sabha from the state's capital in 2004. CPM MLA V Sivankutty of the LDF and Charupara of Socialist Democratic Party, a UDF partner, are the candidates in the fray against him.
Another contestant is 78-year-old Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader M V Raghavan who is trying his luck from Nemmara despite health problems. Raghavan, a former Communist leader, had successfully contested from Azhikode in 1987 and Kazhakuttam in 1991, but lost in Aranmula in 1996. He later won from Thiruvananthapuram West in 2001. In 2006, he tasted defeat from Punalur. LDF's V
Chenthamarakshan (CPM) is his main rival.
78-year-old K M Mani, leader of Kerala Congress (Mani) and a former minister, is the longest serving legislator in the state. He is once again contesting from Pala. His rival is Mani C Kapan of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an LDF
constituent.
Among the other 75-year olds in the fray are Aryadan Mohammed from Nilambur of the Congress, P K Gurudasan of CPM from Kollam and C N Balakrishnan, Congress candidate from Wadakkanchery.
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