Co-operation minister and Communist Marxist Party leader M V Raghavan and Kerala Congress (B) supremo R Balakrishna Pillai, both prominent United Democratic Front leaders, are fighting the toughest battle of their political career in Kollam district of Kerala.

Complete Coverage: Assembly Election 2006

While Pillai, in his 10th electoral fight from his pocket borough Kottarakkara, is facing a serious opponent in Aisha Potti of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Raghavan this time has moved from Thiruvananthapuram West to Punalur to try his best to wrest the seat from the CPI.

The battle is crucial for both parties as victory of the leaders is a must for their political survival. It so happened that both the 'single-man shows' in Kerala politics chose to contest from Kollam.

Pillai, whose name is synonymous with Kottarakkara, has been holding the seat for the last three decades, while Aisha Potti, a CPI(M) area committee member, is trying to attract voters with her calm demeanor.

Known for his verbal outbursts against political rivals, Pillai's campaign this time is not that virulent, as he knows that many factors are working against him. He uses his language carefully in campaign meetings and has openly stated his party could merge with the Congress after the polls.

For Raghavan, who won from CPI(M) strongholds Azhikode and Kazhakkoottam in the past, Punalur is a different terrain. A traditional CPI seat, the constituency had at times sent UDF nominees to the assembly. P S Supal, son of late CPI leader P K Sreenivasan, had last won the seat by a margin of around 1,500 votes.

The CPI this time fielded K Raju, a novice, to defend the seat. A lawyer in Punalur, he has the advantage of being a local against the challenge put up by Raghavan, whom Left Democratic Front campaigners describe as an outsider.

The votes of Tamil labourers settled in the Rehabilitation Plantation at Kulathupuzha, numbering around 15,000, will play an important role in the polls, as well as the reported consolidation of Nair and Christian votes in favour of the ruling front.

The recent summons issued by an Andhra court to Raghavan in a conspiracy case, relating to the murder attempt on CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan, is also being used by LDF in their campaign.

Raghavan is entering his ninth electoral fight and has contested each time from different segments. He has tasted defeat only once, at the hands of poet Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan in Aranmula in 1996.

Pillai also has problems from within the UDF in his segment. Though not openly working against him, a section in the Congress loyal to former MP Kodikkunnil Suresh had never hidden their dislike for the KC-B leader.

In a patch-up effort, Pillai visited Suresh at his residence recently. At a meeting, he even openly stated that he would ensure Suresh's win when he contested next time from Adoor Lok Sabha constituency.

With poll surveys favouring the LDF, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram are the most watched districts as they are expected to decide the winner, in the case of a wave. For these two leaders, however, victory is a must for their party's survival.