Idukki’s dominant election theme has a forest narrative
Incursion of wild animals into human habitations has suddenly emerged as the most pressing electioneering issue for candidates in the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency. Five lives were lost in wild elephant attacks in the past three months in the mountainous district, with numerous other incidents being reported on the forest fringes recently. The SyroMalabar Church, a prominent presence in the district, has protested against the ‘apathy’ of both the State and the Union governments in preventing the wildlife attacks.
Idukki comprises seven Assembly constituencies — Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, Devikulam, Udumbanchola, Thodupuzha, Idukki, and Peerumade — spanning Ernakulam and Idukki districts. Of these, two are held by the United Democratic Front (UDF) while the Left Democratic Front (LDF) represents the remaining five.
Influential communities in the district include settler farmers, particularly the SyroMalabar Catholics, and the Ezhava community. Tamil voters also wield significant influence in the Devikulam, Peerumade, and Udumbanchola Assembly constituencies.
The candidates
The UDF has once again nominated sitting MP Dean Kuriakose, banking on his landslide victory margin of 1,71,053 votes in 2019. The LDF has fielded former High Range Samrakshana
Samiti (HRSS) legal adviser Joice George, who won the seat for the LDF in 2014.
The Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP, has nominated Sangeetha Vishwanathan in Idukki with hopes of increasing its vote share.
Shared by fronts
Since its establishment in 1977, the Idukki constituency has been alternating between the UDF and the LDF. In 2014, the Madhav Gadgil and Kasturirangan reports on Western Ghats’ conservation took centre stage, triggering protests by the Idukki diocese.
Widespread discontent among farmers, who perceived that the reports would negatively impact their lives and livelihood, led to the victory of Mr. George, the LDFbacked Independent, by a margin of over 50,000 votes.
The political landscape in Idukki has undergone significant changes over the past decade, with the HRSS losing its influence. Following the appointment of Mar John Nellikkunel as bishop, the Church has adopted a neutral stance on political matters. In the 2019 election, the UDF won, securing 54.2% of the total votes polled, as against LDF’s 35.6%, and NDA’s 8.6%.
Land Assignment Bill
The other major issue being highlighted in the district is the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Bill, 2023, currently awaiting approval from the Governor. The UDF and the LDF are vocal at the hustings with their vastly divergent versions of the Bill.
Concerns over title deed issues and a construction ban in select areas of the district too are prime campaigning issues.
As per the latest figures, the Idukki constituency has 12,36,759 voters of whom 6,08,710 are men and 6,28,040 are women. There are nine transgender voters in the constituency.