Ramya Haridas, 32, stands out as the only Congress candidate in Kerala, who was hand-picked by party president Rahul Gandhi. She is contesting from the reserved constituency of Alathur against two-time winner and left candidate P.K. Biju.
A good singer, Ramya had taken baby steps in politics through the talent hunt organised by the Youth Congress in 2011 as per Rahul's initiatives to bring in fresh talents while he was the AICC general secretary.
“Ramya is a special person. She had impressed us with her positive attitude,'' Krishna Allavaru, AICC general secretary in-charge of the Youth Congress told THE WEEK. He had played an important role in hunting talents on behalf of Rahul Gandhi.
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Her civil society and political experience was an add on, Allavaru said.
Ramya, whose parents are daily wage labourers, had to discontinue her studies due to financial constraints. It was her mother, an active Congress worker at the local level, who inspired Ramya to take politics seriously.
According to another senior Congress leader, AICC had no other name in mind other than Ramya. “She is capable of capturing Alathur for the party,'' he said.
May be. But the task assigned to her is not easy as Alathur is a strong left bastion. And Ramya knows it.
She is using every possibility to her advantage. Singing is one of them. Trained in classical music, Ramya uses her talent to the hilt whenever possible. This has won her accolades and brickbats. Some appreciates the novelty that her singing has brought into the campaign.
“Ramya is a good singer and people love listening to her. It is a smart way of winning hearts. People flock to see her,'' said Purushothaman C.R., a local Congress leader who accompanies Ramya.
But there are others who remind her that election is not a singing competition.
“This is not a college election where candidates running for arts club secretary post try to impress students with their singing talent. This is an election to the Parliament where candidates are chosen to decide the future of the country. They need to talk politics,'' said Nikhil R., a left activist.
Ramya, however, is least bothered.
“This election is a fight to save the country from the hands of fascists. I will use every weapon in my hand to win Alathur for the Congress. What is wrong with that?,'' she asked.
Currently, Ramya is the president of Kunnamangalam Gramapanchayat.