Campaigning set to end on a high note

KOCHI: The high-voltage campaign for the Piravom bypoll comes to a close on Thursday. UDF candidate Anoop Jacob and LDF candidate M J Jacob have almost completed their public campaigning, family meets and constituency visits by Wednesday.Both the fronts have done everything possible to reach out to the public in the constituency and end their campaign on a satisfactory note. The UDF culminated its election campaign by pitching in both national and state-level leaders on Wednesday.With the campaign in its last leg, the two fronts are leveraging maximum support among the masses, with no efforts being spared. A united UDF lined up nearly all the senior leaders of major coalition parties on Tuesday and Wednesday for campaigning.Defence Minister A K Antony was at the forefront, canvassing for the UDF candidate, with hopes of a lasting impression. Antony has historically been an effective voice, especially when it comes to squaring off against Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan.Lashing out at the CPM veteran, Antony called him “a lonely and wounded commander of an already lost cause.” Keeping the verbal volleys colourful, Achuthanandan too hit back, comparing Antony to a “Mauni Baba”  who simply keeps silence, even on burning issues of corruption.For the LDF, besides senior pro Achuthanandan, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan have also been campaigning vigorously in all the panchayats of the constituency.