Kottayam (Kerala) | The campaigning for the Puthuppally assembly constituency here on Tuesday saw the candidates of the ruling LDF and Congress-led UDF opposition calling out each other for debates on development and governance, while the BJP planned to highlight the myth controversy involving assembly Speaker A N Shamseer.
The UDF and LDF candidates -- Chandy Oommen and Jaick C Thomas, respectively -- called out each other for debates on the issues of development in the state and Puthuppally as well as an assessment of the ruling Left front's governance.
On the other hand, BJP candidate G Lijinlal said the party would highlight the developmental initiatives of the Narendra Modi government for the welfare of the people.
Lijinlal also said the myth controversy involving Shamseer would be a point of discussion during the campaign as Kerala is a state which has people with a strong belief system.
He also said that he would like to question both the LDF and UDF as to what they did for the constituency while they were in power.
Oommen -- son of late former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy -- rejected the LDF camp's allegations that there was a lack of development in the Puthuppally constituency represented by his father for over five decades.
A bypoll was necessitated in Puthuppally following the demise of Chandy last month.
Oommen also questioned the LDF claims that it has pushed development in the state during its seven-year rule.
''There is also no reply to my query on whether they are ready for an assessment of the governance of the ruling front,'' Oommen told media.
In response to that, Thomas said he was ready to debate on the issue of development carried out in the state by the Left government in the last 7 years vis-a-vis the development in the constituency over the years.
''We can assess everything. We can assess the development carried out in the state in last seven years and the development that happened in Puthuppally during the same time.
''When we dared UDF to a debate on development, their unfortunate reply has been whether there is a village office or krishi bhavan or an SBI branch in the village. We should be ready for a debate on development,'' he said.
Thomas confidently said he was ready to debate and discuss everything and the UDF candidate can decide the date, time and venue for the same.
Meanwhile, Lijinlal met with Sukumaran Nair, general secretary of the influential Nair Service Society (NSS), as pary of his bypoll campaign.
After meeting the NSS general secretary, Lijinlal told reporters that he met Nair only to seek his blessings.
All the three candidates also made full use of the Independence Day by carrying out flag hoistings and intensifying their home visits in view of it being a holiday today.
