Eye on polls; Covid relief activities turning election campaign rehearsal

Thiruvananthapuram: Covid-19 relief activities are turning to laying the ground for local self-government elections.  As the activities get transferred  from revenue department to local self-government authorities, the one-upmanship gave of prominent groups has intensified.

UDF leadership has publicly questioned the political interest of CPM in community kitchen and volunteer corps formation.

Though revenue department ought to lead the relief activities, in case of Covid, that is not the case. All responsibilities including that of the infected, those under observation, interstate labourers, community kitchen along with supply of medicine and food are all under local bodies.

As only months are left before local body polls, the relief activities have become the testing ground of the main groups. CPM was the first to realize their future  fortunes hinging on the relief activities.

CPM and allied parties carried out all relief work including operation of community kitchen and supply of essential medicines and food, in local bodies under their control and even others.  IT was when UDF and Congress woke up to the challenge that they came out with activities to ensure their presence in the relief work.

The tug-of-war situation is evident in the relief interventions of both the fronts reflected in the race by both  to start community kitchens and related relief efforts. s.

In the process,  minor parties look like having been sidelined from the race.