Palakkad (Kerala), March 19 Kerala's Palakkad Assembly constituency is serving up an unusually flavourful electoral contest this time, with three distinctly different candidates turning the campaign into a mix of politics, performance and palate.
In the fray are popular actor and stage artiste Ramesh Pisharody representing the Congress, firebrand BJP leader Shobha Surendran, and CPI-M's surprise pick, noted hotelier N.M.R. Razak, who is as well known for his biryani as for his business acumen.
What makes the contest intriguing is that among the three, only Surendran brings substantial political experience to the table.
In the 2016 Assembly polls, she had finished second to Congress’s rising star Shafi Parambil.
Parambil went on to secure a hat-trick of wins from the constituency before being fielded in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he emerged victorious.
The subsequent by-election saw another Congress success story, with Youth Congress President Rahul Mammkootathil from Pathanamthitta registering a record margin of over 18,840 votes, the highest ever in the constituency.
However, that victory was short-lived.
A series of rape allegations led to his arrest and eventual expulsion from the party, forcing the Congress to look for a fresh face.
Enter Pisharody, a crowd favourite who has long entertained audiences at Congress events with his sharp wit and humour.
While he lacks political experience, his popularity and connection with the masses make him a formidable contender.
The CPI-M, on the other hand, has opted for a different recipe, fielding Razak, whose biryani has arguably reached more households than any campaign speech.
His entry has added a distinct local flavour to the contest.
As Palakkad heads to the polls, the big question remains: will voters opt for experience, humour, or the comforting familiarity of biriyani?
In this high-stakes contest, it’s anyone’s guess who will have the last laugh.
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