By Antonis Anzoletou

The “sand in the hourglass” until the elections is emptying and the two main gladiators of power have carefully studied their last steps before the polls. The political time is “intersected” by the debate that will take place next Wednesday and the staffs are expected to start “rehearsals” and preparations very soon.

Alexis Tsipras with the minimum consultation program of the progressive forces that he presented in Lavrio “turned a blind eye” more than ever to PASOK. The “contract for change” and “Greece that belongs to all Greeks” were the characteristic slogans that referred directly to Andreas Papandreou. This is the reason, after all, that Nikos Androulakis, speaking to SKAI, declared about the official opposition leader that he is becoming “the gravedigger of Andreas Papandreou”.

In SYRIZA, they follow a fixed tactic. They do not respond to the shots of Harilaou Trikoupi, considering that the pre-election period sharpens the spirits, recognizing that the space of the center-left is not inexhaustible and from PASOK they wish to achieve the best possible result. In any case, they expect the reactions, as the 11 points presented by the former prime minister are very close to the positions and proposals of the green faction.

Alexis Tsipras starts today the penultimate cycle of his tours from Tripoli. On Friday, he will be at the “Syrizaic castle” of Arta, but also in Preveza, which was “painted pink” in 2015. Two regions of N.Greece that he did not have time to go to in the first phase of the tours will follow, Grevena and Kozani. On Monday, May 8, he will visit Lamia, according to information, for the third time in six months. The capital of Fthiotida is the center of Central Greece and it is hoped that the prefecture will again pass into the hands of SYRIZA as it did four years ago.

From Thursday, May 11, the central pre-election gatherings for Koumoundourou will begin, culminating in the last week. The first stations, according to the latest information, will be Trikala and Larissa. He was in the Thessalian plain twice in March due to the railway accident and wishes to return shortly before the polls. He will probably visit Volos and Agrinio on the 13th and 14th of the month.

His last five speeches so far have been closed as follows: on Monday, the 15th of the month, he will speak in Ioannina, on Tuesday in Thessaloniki, on Wednesday in Heraklion, on Thursday in Athens and on Friday in the “Syrizaic fortress” of Patras, from where they hope to send the message of victory.