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Fund-crunch takes fizzle out of Kerala campaign

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

The election campaign in Kerala is likely to be a low-key affair as almost all the parties are grappling with an acute shortage of funds.

While the general slump in the economy has dried up most sources, the liquor lobby, the major source for political donations, is still reeling under the impact of the partial prohibition which the United Democratic Front government introduced in the state. The subsequent tightening up of the business by the Left Democratic Front government made the liquor trade less attractive.

Now liquor contractors are not at all inclined to help political parties as the state government had initiated action against some of them for donating to certain individual leaders. Moreover, they are cut up with the government for a series of excise raids which they were subjected to recently.

The prolonged load shedding, and the resultant below-average production in industries is another reason for the lack of funds. The cash-rich rubber belt, which used to help the Kerala Congress factions particularly, is starved for funds because of the unprecedented crash in the price of natural rubber.

The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist, which spent about Rs 50 million for its state conference at Palakkad in January, is finding it hard to approach the people again. The party, however, has zeroed in on an alternate source: its supporters, who would donate their one-day wage for the election fund. Further, it is concentrating on 'squad works' -- its squads have already fanned out into different constituencies -- to raise more funds.

The Congress, which is contesting 17 seats, does not expect much help from the All India Congress Committee. The maximum they would get, candidates feel, is Rs 200,000 for each constituency.

M M Hassan, contesting from Chirayinkil, said that first-timers like him would find the going tough in the absence of adequate funds.

The Congress has shuffled the constituencies of some candidates, and as many as 10 candidates are new to their battle fields. While former chief minister K Karunakaran and his son K Muralidharan migrated to Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur respectively, the Mukundapuram and Idukki seats were interchanged between P C Chacko and A C Jose on Karunakaran's instance.

The party cannot expect much help from its minor partners as they have not been given tickets.

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