Thiruvananthapuram: The display of LDF government achievement advertisements on KSRTC buses and radio channels has emerged as a major flashpoint between political fronts. The issue dominated a high-level meeting convened on Tuesday by Kerala Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar to discuss the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the upcoming April 9 Assembly elections.

During the meeting, Congress leaders M K Rahman and Mariapuram Sreekumar formally challenged the legality of these advertisements, branding them a clear violation of the MCC. They argued that using state-owned transport as "mobile billboards" to showcase government successes undermines a "level playing field" for the opposition.

The argument: CPM Vs UDF

The CPM has strongly defended the advertisements. CPM leader A A Rahim argued that since the ads do not feature specific election symbols, they do not constitute an official campaign.

  • The train parallel: Rahim countered the UDF's objection by pointing to Union government advertisements on trains running through Kerala. "If KSRTC ads are problematic, then the same logic must apply to central ads on trains plying in the state. Will the commission address that as well?" he questioned.
  • CEO's response: CEO Rathan Kelkar assured the representatives that the commission would examine the matter strictly according to the ECI's established guidelines on MCC implementation.

Security update: Central forces arrive

On the security front, the CEO confirmed that 30 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF)—approximately 3,000 personnel—have already reached Kerala. These forces have begun "area domination" exercises, particularly in sensitive regions, to ensure a peaceful polling environment.