Do you know which Assembly segment is yours? Who’s your MLA? Ask them these simple questions and the group of six starts scratching their heads, exchanging perplexed gazes. Soon, the tiny tea stall close to the seashore turns into a hotbed of political debate over who their sitting MLA is. An aged Mary who runs the stall seems to enjoy the confusion of her customers, each of whom vigorously makes a pitch for their choice. Welcome to Valaveesumpadi, a sleepy fishing hamlet on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border where two Assembly constituencies in the neighbouring states (Neyyattinkara in Kerala and Vilavancode in Tamil Nadu) literally merge into one. Sandwiched between Neerode Kollamcode in Tamil Nadu and Pozhiyoor Kollamcode in Kerala, hundreds of fishermen families living here share a common bond. Many of them have married across the state border and have relatives on either side of it; some even have their names in the neighbouring state’s voters list and ration cards. Though elections are around the corner, they are yet to wake up to the poll heat as candidates and their cavalcade still have not made it to this sleepy village. A small shanty with graffiti of LDF candidate K Ansalan and a couple of Tamil posters lying next to an abandoned wooden cross typical of the border fishing villages in the region are what constitute the actual borderline between the two states here. Just opposite a yellow sign board marking the panchayat boundary, a virtual border line literally divides a house into two segments one in each state. We have this part of the house in Tamil Nadu. My mother lives on the other side and her ration card is in Kerala, says Latha, who is married to Vyakul from Marthandam Thurai of Tamil Nadu. Her mother Paniyamma stays on the other side. Both Latha and Paniyamma seem to be pleased with the fact that their house marks the borderline. There are a few posters of Neyyattinkara’s UDF candidate R Selvaraj and LDF candidate K Ansalan. However, the candidates are yet to make their presence felt in the region. They may come towards the end of campaigning. It seems politicians are less interested in making promises to us. Some of the families stay here and get ration from across the border. Nevertheless, the Tamil Nadu Government offers us better facilities compared to Kerala, says Sebastian, a fishermen from this side. Some protest. Sir, why should we vote? In fact, I’m determined to get at least 49 votes for NOTA. What do they do for us? Whether we are on this side of the border or there what difference does it make? We are in penury! says a fuming Franklin Joseph. Though he seems averse towards elections, Franklin Joseph who works with a private firm minces no words when it comes to Kerala politics. Highly critical of veteran politicians still being in the fray, he feels it’s time A K Antony, V S Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy step back and give way for youngsters. At Vilavancode, G Nanjil Dominic of the AIADMK takes on sitting MLA S Vijayadharani of the Congress. Earlier, there were reports that Vijayadharani may switch over to the other side. The CPM and BJP too have their candidates here. While the CPM pins hopes on its past glory, the saffron party has considerable say in a couple of panchayats here. It does make for a curious political spot along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. There’s a playground on the border at Pozhiyoor Kollancode with half of it in Kerala and the remaining in Tamil Nadu. What’s more, there are even a few houses with their kitchens in one state while the rest of the rooms are in the other. A couple of panchayats near Parassala and Kaliyikkavila too share a similar scenario, says Sreenivasan Venugopal, state treasurer of AIADMK Kerala unit. This time the AIADMK is actively focusing on Kerala with seven of its candidates in the fray. Of these, the candidature of Biju Ramesh whistleblower in the bar bribery case that rocked the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government for more than a year in Thiruvananthapuram constituency is being keenly watched. The six others are in Chittoor, Malampuzha and Nemmara (Palakkad district), Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peermedu (Idukki district). Neglected by candidates, they live on the margins There are a few posters of Neyyattinkara’s UDF candidate R Selvaraj and LDF candidate K Ansalan. However, the candidates are yet to make their presence felt in the region. They may come towards the end of campaigning. It seems politicians are less interested in making promises to us. Some of the families stay here and get ration from across the border. Nevertheless, the Tamil Nadu Government offers us better facilities compared to Kerala, says Sebastian, a fishermen from this side. Some protest.
2016, The New Indian Express.