Ministers and LDF leaders stranded during election campaign

Malappuram: Minister O R Kelu and LDF leaders got stuck in the raft while going for election campaign. The minister and the leader got stuck in the raft as soon as they reached Malappuram Vazhikkadavu yesterday evening. The incident happened while crossing Punnapuzha at Vazhikkadavu. When the minister and LDF leader were going on the raft, they could not move forward and the raft got stuck in the river. After getting information about the incident, the minister and his team were brought to the shore after half an hour of effort by the police, local people and Thunderbolt team. The minister was going to Vazhikkadavu Punchkolli Tribal Colony to campaign for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election. Till 2018, there was an iron bridge to go to the tribal colony. The bridge was destroyed in the floods of 2018. Along with this, the families of Punchkolli Tribal Nagar use rafts made of bamboo to cross the river. The minister got stuck in the river while riding in this raft. The local people were constantly demanding to build a bridge. Even to go to the hospital one has to take the help of a raft. Meanwhile the minister himself got stuck in the river.