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Journalism of Courage
A group of pecks in the Arabian Sea has piled up a sea of poll records. That8217;s Lakshadweep, the collection of 27 islands 300 km off Kerala8217;s coast. It is the country8217;s smallest constituency 8212; just 32 sq km in area; perhaps the only seat whose population is almost entirely Muslim; one of the two constituencies in the country which has returned the same man nine times; and perhaps the only seat where one man has lost nine times to the same rival.
The total electoral strength is just 37,000, less than what would populate a civic division in a big city. Personalities and personal network therefore count here more than politics. The man who has beaten others at it, successively since 1967, is Congress candidate and former Lok Sabha deputy speaker P.M. Sayeed. Only Khagapati Pradhani of Nowrangpur, Orissa, matches his record of nine wins in a row from the same seat.
There are other things adding colour this time to the oft-repeated battle. The number of candidates has hit an all-time high 8212; of four, while the Opposition Janata Dal JD is going in with a split. While Muhamad Koya is now a JD United member, the JD Secular has fielded F.K. Hussain as its candidate. Ameer Biyyammada has joined the race as an Independent.
Sayeed is seeking votes on the basis of the developmental activities he claims to have initiated on the islands, besides promising setting up of a mini-Assembly and revival of the Island Development Authority.
Muthu Koya8217;s promises include a Legislative Assembly, a self-sufficiency package for the islands, a training centre for marines at Minicoy, a better market for products from the island, more employment opportunities and financial assistance for medicaltreatment of islanders.
He is also campaigning against 8220;the ineffective and wasteful spending of Central funds, fall in educational standards, rising unemployment, lapse of MPs8217; fund and the upper hand the bureaucracy enjoys over people8217;s representatives8221;.
If Androth, Agathy, Kadamam, Chethalath, Minicoy and Bitra islands are considered Sayeed strongholds, Muthu Koya claims to have a following on Ammeny, Kavaratty, Kilthan and Kalpeny. However, many expect Hussain to cut into Muthu Koya8217;s votes in Minicoy, his home island.
But neither that nor the effect of the JDU-BJP alliance on the Muslim electorate deters Muthu Koya. 8220;We are not alienated from the masses following our tie-up with the BJP. Moreover, people will vote in favour of a candidate who is a part of the winning political front,8221; he feels.
Sayeed is equally confident of repeating his feat.8220;It was during the Congress rule that the islands witnessed the maximum development and my contribution has been repeatedly endorsed by voters. Itis on my performance that I am seeking a mandate,8221; he says. The Congress leader is sure that the JDU tie-up with the BJP will affect Muthu Koya8217;s prospects, noting that the latter is 8220;even shy of exhibiting posters featuring BJP leader A.B. Vajpayee and George Fernandes fearing a backlash8221;.
The party also claims to have fully recovered from its internal squabbles that had helped the JD post an unexpected victory in the civic body elections last year.
