Shashi Tharoor campaigning in Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala's capital is dotted with posters displaying its MP Shashi Tharoor as the Congressman tours the state in a hectic schedule ahead of the national election, due by May. He has inaugurated over 70 projects in the last four days.
"I have been making attempts to reconnect with the people from my constituency since I was away for some time because of my personal bereavement," said Mr Tharoor, whose wife Sunanda was found dead at a hotel room in Delhi on January 18.
At one of Mr Tharoor's tour stops, Ottashekharamandalam Panchayat, a Scheduled Tribes settlement at the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, he assures people of more welfare projects if he is re-elected.
Several people in the colony too pledge their support to the MP.
"We have wanted a concrete road since 25 years. This MP is the only one to deliver. We all will vote for him only", said Sukumar, a resident.
"Standing in the Parliament and delivering speeches counts very less for people here at the ground. They want to see work and that's what we are showing them before the electoral code of conduct comes into place," Mr Tharoor said as his team distributed free copies of a regional newspaper, which gave full marks to him for his performance as an MP.
The LDF in Kerala's capital, however, has been relentlessly targeting Mr Tharoor over his wife's mysterious death.
"People in Thiruvananthapuram are very angry with Shashi Tharoor. It is going to be very easy to defeat him this time. There is a police inquiry going on into his wife's death. Let him first be exonerated before he stands for election. The claims he has been making through his hoardings are bogus and false. He had assured the people that within 100 days, Kerala's capital will have a High Court bench. Where is it?" CPI's C Diwakar said.
According to sources, the Left is looking to field a strong candidate against Mr Tharoor. The party has been vocal in its protests against the Congress leader, saying he should not content elections till the inquiry into his wife's death is over.
"I don't want to justify these vile talks. If they know so much and have any proof, they should hand that over to the police," Mr Tharoor said.