An intense electoral battle seems emerging among the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the race for the Ernakulam District Panchayat.
Stakes are high for the UDF, as it eyes a hat-trick, while the Left front is pulling all the stops to wrest control of the district panchayat. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is yet to open its account, remains hopeful of making dents in the prospects of its rival fronts.
The UDF had won the district panchayat with a comfortable margin of 16 seats in the 27-member council in 2015. The LDF had to sit in the Opposition benches, as it could bag only 11 seats. However, its strength had gone up to 13 at the end of the term of the outgoing council. From 11, the seat position went up to 12 after the Kerala High Court annulled the victory of a Congress candidate. The entry of the Kerala Congress (M) to the LDF saw the additional support of one member at the fag end of the council.
The UDF camp recalled that it always had an upper hand in the district panchayat while pointing to the success in two consecutive elections. Its poll managers have claimed that the front will earn 20 seats.
But the LDF is counting on the anti-incumbency factor and continues to blame the UDF for not being able to ensure development despite being in power for two successive terms. The front has pinned high hopes on making inroads into the traditional Congress strongholds. While the Left claims that the presence of the Kerala Congress (M) will benefit the front, the UDF has ruled out any such advantage, citing the strength of their alliance partner, Kerala Congress (Joseph), in some seats.
The BJP exuded confidence of increasing its vote share, hoping that people have been tired of supporting the LDF and the UDF. The key fronts are also facing considerable opposition from Twenty20, the corporate-backed apolitical charity outfit, in divisions that include Vengola and Kolenchery.
The Congress is contesting in 17 seats, while the CPI(M) has fielded its candidates in 17 and divided the rest among alliance partners.
