Kalpetta Assembly Election Unfolds Under Shadow of Tragic Landslide
The assembly election in Kalpetta is unfolding under the long shadow of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide that claimed 298 lives and nearly wiped out entire villages 20 months ago. What was once framed as a testament to Kerala's unity and resilience has transformed into a bitter political battleground during the current poll campaign. The rehabilitation of survivors has become the central issue defining electoral narratives and voter sentiment.
Political Contestants and Campaign Dynamics
Congress MLA T Siddique is contesting against RJD's PK Anil Kumar and BJP district president Prashanth Malavayal in this crucial election. The road to the under-construction rehabilitation township is lined with billboards featuring Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with the caption 'Who else but LDF can honour the word given to landslide survivors'. This visual campaign underscores how rehabilitation has become the primary political currency in this election.
Although 178 houses at the township were inaugurated under phase-I on March 1, just before elections were announced, the site still resembles an active construction zone. Critical infrastructure including roads, power connections, and sewage systems remain far from complete, creating a stark contrast between political promises and ground reality.
Survivors' Plight and Ongoing Challenges
For survivors like Mariyama and Madaswamy (71) from Chooralmala, the wait for proper housing continues unabated. Currently living in temporary quarters at Munderi, they visit their allotted house each week to check progress. "This is our third visit after the inauguration; electrical and plumbing works are still pending. We are happy to have the plot and house documents, but we just want to move in before the monsoon rains begin," said Madaswamy, expressing the anxiety shared by many survivors.
Rehabilitation projects announced by various political parties including Congress and IUML have become both symbols of hope and points of conflict. The LDF presents the township as concrete proof of governance delivery while criticizing Congress for failing to build homes. Conversely, the UDF calls it hurried optics for electoral gain, pointing to incomplete works and exclusions from the beneficiary list.
Political Perspectives and Electoral Calculations
Shaijal Kaippa, a resident of Thurki and an RJD sympathizer, describes the township as a showpiece achievement of the LDF government. "Keeping this rehabilitation promise could be decisive in the election. Congress has not even begun its housing project, which will likely hurt them electorally," he observed. Kaippa further suggested that Congress made a strategic blunder by moving ahead with a separate housing project that hasn't started, suggesting they should have contributed to the government's rehabilitation fund instead.
The UDF campaign highlights Siddique's role as the leading figure during rescue operations immediately after the disaster. Their campaign material features MP Priyanka Gandhi alongside Siddique, emphasizing his connection to both local relief efforts and national political leadership.
K Vasu, a lottery seller from Chenamala colony who moved his business to the township site, offers a different perspective. "Hundreds of people arrive daily to witness the project, but what is the point of an inauguration if families cannot actually move in?" he questioned, while acknowledging that Siddique led rescue efforts when the disaster initially struck.
Exclusion and Unaddressed Grievances
Not all affected families have been included in rehabilitation plans. Mundakkai native Muthan and his wife Jayanna, who stay at temporary accommodation in Karapuzha, are not part of the government's rehabilitation list. "My wife worked at Harrisons Malayalam estate and our padi was damaged in the disaster. We were excluded from the government's rehab list, and her livelihood is severely impacted as she cannot travel 35 kilometers to work," Muthan explained, noting that many others from Padavettikunnu face similar exclusion.
This tension between political perception and actual delivery frames the electoral battle in a constituency that traditionally leans toward the UDF, though Siddique won it in 2021 with a margin of over 4,000 votes despite a statewide LDF wave.
Electoral Landscape and Recent Political Trends
The UDF expresses confidence following recent local body election results. Although the LDF captured Kalpetta municipality along with Muttil and Muppainad panchayats, the UDF won 8 of the 10 panchayats in the area. Of the 173 grama panchayat wards, the UDF (including independents) secured 107 victories, compared to 61 for the LDF and just three for the NDA.
Beyond rehabilitation, the UDF campaign focuses on several pressing local issues including poor infrastructure at Wayanad Medical College, travel hardships on ghat roads, and rising man-animal conflicts in the region. The LDF counters with a broader governance narrative, highlighting rehabilitation steps while attacking Congress for delays in its housing project.
NDA's Role and Broader Political Context
The NDA remains a peripheral but vocal player in this election, framing the contest as a rejection of both traditional fronts while invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda. As polling day approaches, Kalpetta presents a complex electoral landscape where collective grief, rehabilitation promises, and competing political narratives intersect in ways that will likely determine the election outcome.
The tragedy that united Kerala 20 months ago has now become the defining political fault line in Kalpetta, with rehabilitation efforts serving as both a measure of governance and a weapon in political warfare. How voters balance their memories of the disaster against political promises will ultimately decide which narrative prevails in this emotionally charged election.
