India has reached on the brim of 15th general elections beginning this month. The process will end in May 16, the day of counting of votes. The general election schedule is as follows: The first phase of voting will begin on 16^th April, 2009 for 124 parliament constituencies. The second phase of voting will begin on 23^rd April for 141 constituencies. Another 107 Loksabha constituencies will go to poll on 30^th April, 2009.

The next phase of election will be on 7th May. Eighty five constituencies will witness poll on that day. The final stage of voting will be held on 13 May, 2009.The counting of votes will take place on 16 May, 2009. The first result will be announced before noon, thanks to electronic voting machines.

Kerala will go to polling stations on 16th, first phase. The main rivals in Kerala politics U.D.F and L.D.F are engaged in the hectic final campaigns. Kerala witnessed many political issues during the campaigns. The tie-up between Kerala's ruling front LDF and communal organization PDP has been widely questioned from the other front. The alleged involvement of CPI (M) state secretary Pinaray Vijayan in the Lavlin case, the conflict in the LDF including Dal's determination to defeat LDF candidates, rebel CPM's challenges are major set backs faced by CPM and LDF.

Janatha Dal turned rebellious when CPM denied Dal’s sitting seat Kozhikode constituency. Dal had fought for the seat since the beginning of seat sharing discussion. But CPM didn’t compromise on that seat and party candidate filed nomination. CPM filed more youngsters in the fray like SFI and DYFI leaders.

UDF candidates are mainly senior leaders including KPCC vice president Mullappally Ramachandran (Vatakara), MLAs like K.Sudhakaran (Kannur) and K.V Thomas(Ernakulum). The latest trend according to political commentators is favorable to Congress and UDF. In the 2004 election, LDF had won 19 seats out of 20 constituencies. IUML won one seat in favor of UDF. But this time, according to surveys conducted by media groups, UDF will win majority of seats. LDF may win in five to eight constituencies.

Both fronts are in the final push to outflank each other. Even as the political factors are favorable to Congress, weak organizational set-up in ground level is a major shortcoming. The rival front’s attack on UPA government’s recent Israel arms deal and nuclear policy also bring trouble to Congress. Communal and caste factors have become decisive in the selection of candidates by both fronts.

The third alternative BJP and some independents are also there in the fray. Moderate voters will decide victory of many candidates than hard-line party workers.

Independent candidates will be a decisive factor in at least some constituencies. Unlike before, CPM is being faced by factional issues and frontal divisions. Many ideal communists came against party's neo-liberalism and contesting against party candidates. Vatakara is one of the strong holds of rebel communist party. Janatha Dal's challenge against CPM also has become a nightmare to LDF, especially in Malabar region.

Christian minority, conventional Muslim minority and NSS are expected to support UDF. A slight minority will support LDF on Madani factor, says surveys. According to political think-tanks, the main issues related to people and infrastructure developments are untouched by main parties. Instead they involved in less-important controversies. The poll debate entered in international matters than people's basic needs and welfare. The general election has become a platform for discussing global issues; while local matters should have been focused by politicians.

Most of the MPs could not even utilize the allotted fund to their constituencies properly. Thiruvananthapauram Parliament constituency turned to be a VIP one and witnessed an uphill battle when the former UN undersecretary and writer Shasi Tharoor came into fray as Congress candidate. BJP state president P.K. Krishnadas is the another candidate in this capital constituency.

This is a period of grueling schedule for top political leaders and workers alike. Top leaders like Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader L.K Advani, CPIM general secretary Prakash Karat campaigned for their candidates in Kerala. The hot summer and the election humidity mark the days.

When politicians ignore major issues like sustainable development by protecting environment, opportunities to jobless youth, and gulf returnees, the voting become just a meaningless exercise, observes independent analysts.

When parties approach voters without strategic policies, the common men experience the same old wine in new bottle. Many vital areas have been untouched in this election also. The innovative methods to protect agriculture, the projects to become self-sufficient in food production, eco-friendly industries, special packages for non-resident Keralites, returning to home due to recession are some of the issues ignored. These issues are still limited to campaign speeches. Major parties have no specific agenda for the developmental issues.

When superficial non-issues have been focused, the programs or projects for people’s welfare will be ignored - the analysts think. The last question of every election process is "Who will win? How about these two as answers? Common men or big politicians.

- By Rajesh Kumar for CalicutNet.com

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