Fight for Ernakulam heats up

Kochi, Apr 26 (UNI) As the electioneering shifted to the final gear in Kerala, major political parties today sounded optimistic in the run to secure the control of state's commercial hub - Ernakulam.

United Democratic Front (UDF), which won 13 out of 14 seats in Ernakulam district last time, hoped for a decent show as campaigning is set to conclude tomorrow.

''About Rs 18,000 crore worth investments, the major chunk of the Central investment in the State, was made in this district during the last few years. We are confident of completing the remaining projects in a time-bound manner,'' District Congress Committee president K P Dhanapalan said at a meet-the-press programme here.

However, riding on an anti-incumbency wave, the Left Democratic Front is banking on clean image of candidates and drinking water problem of the city to wrest the control of the district.

''We have pitted nine fresh candidates. Development means the basic infrastructure like drinking water first, rather than hollow promises of big projects,'' CPI(M) district secretary Gopi Kottamurickal said, countering the ruling alliance claims.

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