Click to play videoPallakad (Kerala): The chief contenders for the ballot box in Kerala are the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
The third party, the BJP, has never won a seat in the state, neither in the Lok Sabha elections nor in Assembly polls. But this time, party members say it stands a strong chance.
The party has fielded one of its strongest candidates, O Rajagopal, from Palakkad. This constituency is a traditional Congress stronghold.
The former union minister is banking on the 15,000-strong Tamil Brahmin community to swing the pendulum his way.
"People know what I have done for them. Be it the railway, houses for the poor or development in all fields, the people know what i have done. So, they feel 'we owe something to him'. They will vote for me," says the BJP candidate, Rajagopal.
And he has reasons to be optimistic. In the last municipal elections, the BJP managed to win 17 seats in Kerala.
But his opponents don't see a threat. His main rival, LDF candidate K K Diwakaran feels the voters in Kerala are used to voting for either the UDF or the LDF.
"Winning municipal seats is different. They will not be able to make it to the assembly even this time," says a confident Diwakaran.
Despite not winning a single seat till now, the BJP is contesting all the 140 seats this election.
In the 2001 assembly polls, the party polled 5.8 per cent of the votes. The figure rose to 8 per cent in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. And this time they hope to make history by actually winning a seat.
Experts believe Pallakad and Manjeshwaram are the best bet for the party to open its account this time. But for a party that is battling factionalism even at the state level, it does not seem to be a easy task.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
