The two leading political fronts facing elections in Thrikkakara municipality are unruffled by the proliferation of candidates in the contest with several of the wards seeing six and seven-cornered contests.
Only ward 5, Kollamkudimugal, will see a straight contest between Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates. Congress party block president Naushad Pallechi said that the large number of candidates in the fray did not pose any threat to the UDF. He claimed that the current political atmosphere favoured UDF candidates.
Senior CPI(M) leader M.E. Hassainar said that elections to local bodies was a time when everybody tested their public support and the large number of contestants was not a cause for worry.
The Model Engineering College ward, Edachira, Kunnathuchira and Olikkuzhi will see seven-cornered contests in the upcoming elections.
The municipality has 43 wards and the NDA alliance has candidates in 39 wards.
Former municipal chairpersons Shaji Vazhakkala and P.I. Mohammedali of the UDF and Usha Praveen of the LDF are among the prominent contestants.
The Thrikkakara Jana Munnettam, an independent group, has fielded its own candidates in 34 wards and will support Independents in other wards.
