547 Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) members are contesting the local body elections across Kerala.

Through their routine visits to every household in the ward, as part of their job, they have built strong personal connections. This grassroots rapport has now propelled them into the political spotlight.

Of the HKS workers in the fray, 83 are from Thiruvananthapuram, the highest in the state, followed by Alappuzha and Kollam with 63 and 62, respectively. The least are in Kasaragod and Pathanamthitta with 12 and 14, respectively.

Public policy experts opine that the decline of youth movements in the state has left several political parties struggling to find candidates. D Dhanuraj, Chairman of Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), also shared his insights with The Times of India on the issue.

“People are closely acquainted with HKS members because they visit households every month and belong to the same locality,”

he is quoted as saying.

Read the full article by The Times of India here.

Views expressed by the author are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.