Even contest on the cards in Kozhikode North

Kozhikode: An even contest is on the cards in the Kozhikode North assembly constituency, where CPM MLA A Pradeepkumar is locking horns with AICC member P V Gangadharan for the April 13 Kerala assembly polls.

Besides these two, BJP has fielded K Reghunath, district Secretary of the party, who has exuded confidence to give a tight fight to them. Though elections in Kozhikode North had always been fought closely, both the sides have been successful on different occasions.

CPM looked very strong and unbeatable in the constituency from 1977 to 1987 assembly polls, before United Democratic Front's (UDF) senior Congress leader N Sujanapal put the brake on the CPM-led Left Democratic Front by winning the 1991 election.

However, CPM came back strongly to regain the seat in 1996, only to surrender it once again to Sujanapal in 2001. Pradeepkumar contesting his first assembly election in 2006 wrested back the seat defeating Sujanapal by over 7700 votes.

Looking confident, Pradeepkumar said 'the last five years work had given him full satisfaction and confidence'.

During the last five years he had brought about Rs 350 crore development work in the constituency including beach beautification, infrastructure development and Cyber park, which could transform the city into a major IT destination.

Though UDF was very late in coming out with the list of candidates, Gangadharan had started a spirited campaign conversing maximum number of residential areas wooing the voters with promises of a comprehensive development for the city and solving drinking water problem and improving the drainage system.

Though a debutant in the assembly electoral battle, Gangadharan, film producer and former president of Malabar Chamber of Commerce, has good friends circle and hoping to translate it into votes.

UDF circle is upbeat after the entry of M P Veerendrakumar led Socialist Janata (Democratic) in its fold and merger of P M A Salam-led Indian National League with Indian Union Muslim League, a major constituent in the UDF.

The BJP candidate has been alleging that the Front rule had been responsible for the non-development of the state.