Vigilance case against VS comes in handy for UDF

KOCHI: The Vigilance case against Opposition Leader, V S Achuthanandan, is all set to be a poll plank  for the United Democratic Front in the Piravom byelection.When comparing the previous LDF government with the present Congress rule, the issue of allotment of land to one of Achuthanandan’s relative will surely be a hot topic of discussion, District Congress Committee president V J Paulose said.The LDF had been targeting the UDF leaders in the name of corruption, but now one of their senior leaders is in the grip of a major corruption scandal, he said.One of the main propaganda of the UDF would be that Achuthanandan, who had been crying for the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, is unwilling to resign from his post.Meanwhile, the LDF is confident of wresting power from the ruling front. “The Achuthanandan issue may be used by the Congress in its campaigns. But it is not going to have any impact. Every one in the constituency knows me,” said M J Jacob, the LDF candidate in Piravom.As Piravom is predominantly an agrarian constituency, issues related to farmers would be widely discussed, he said. The LDF would focus on the recent hike in petrol and fertiliser prices, he added.However, UDF candidate Anoop Jacob said that all issues, including the development activities put forth by the Chandy government along with the Achuthanandan issue would be discussed in the elections. Though the bypoll schedule is yet to be announced, both the ruling and the opposition fronts have declared their candidates. But, the BJP is yet to announce its candidate.