Congress workers bring trolley bag to KPCC office as a symbol of victory in Palakkad. Photo: Special Arrangement
The United Democratic Front (UDF) cadre were seen celebrating their party candidate’s win from Palakkad with trolley bags on their heads
Congress candidate Rahul Mamkootathil won Palakkad byelections with a record margin of 18,724 votes. While BJP’s C. Krishnakumar finished second, LDF-backed Independent candidate Dr. P. Sarin ended up in third place.
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The trolley bag emerged as a metaphor for the sensationalist political processes influencing the bye-election campaign in the Palakkad Assembly constituency ever since Police conducted a midnight raid on hotels where women Congress leaders were staying. The police action provided grist to the Congress to claim that the police swoop on the hotel trespassed on the privacy of two senior women leaders, Shanimol Usman and Bindu Krishna.
However, the dead-of-night raid appeared to have boomeranged on law enforcement and, by extension, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The police conceded in writing that the inspections did not yield any black money. This, however didn’t stop LDF candidate P. Sarin from making the trolley case a campaign tool. He would carry it in public meetings as a trope for Congress’s alleged use of black money to subvert the byelection.
Mr. Mamkootathil, for his part, too carried a trolley to a press conference to paint a vivid and persuasive image of the LDF “using” the police to vilify him at the hustings.
Nevertheless, the UDF had the last laugh by retaining the seat, which was previously won by Shafi Parambil.
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Published – November 23, 2024 05:58 pm IST