The changed political scenario in the State may have given an optimistic feeling for the Congress-Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) combine to take on the rainbow coalition of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Kozhikode District Panchayat elections in December.
But the ground reality is quite different with the Left parties taking no chances to lose power in the district panchayat which they have been holding on for the last three decades since the formation of the defunct District Council.
In the previous polls held in 2015, the LDF edged out the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) by winning 18 seats in the 27-member council. However, in the 2010 polls, the LDF had secured only a majority and that too literally by a whisker of one seat more than the UDF.
Mini Assembly polls
The elections to the District Panchayat could also be considered as mini Assembly elections in the district. However, the 27 seats do not cover the areas of the Kozhikode corporation, and Koyilandy, Vadakara, Payyoli, Mukkom, Koduvally, Ramanattukara, and Feroke, municipalities.
UDF leaders believe that the anti-incumbency against the State government would electorally favour them in the council polls even though one of its partners — JD(U) which later became LJD — walked out of the coalition. Their candidates are upbeat after the victory of Congress nominees M.K. Raghavan in Kozhikode and K. Muraleedharan in Vadakara in the Lok Sabha polls held last year. They would want the political trend to continue in the district panchayat as well.
However, the LDF is heavily banking on the development initiatives carried out by the three-tier local bodies in the past five years. With its well-oiled machinery, the CPI(M) has been the first to go off the blocks in campaigning as well especially against the backdrop of the setback the party suffered in the Lok Sabha polls.
However, another worry for the CPI(M) is the robust presence of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance which is slowly eating into its vote share.
The divisions of the Kozhikode District Panchayat are — Azhiyur, Edacheri, Nadapuram, Kuttiyadi Mokeri, Perambra, Kattipara, Balussery, Engapuzha, Kodenchery, Thiruvambady, Omassery, Chathamangalam, Pantheerankavu, Kadalundy, Kunnamangalam, Kakkodi, Madavoor, Narikunni, Nanmanda, Atholi, Uliyeri, Arikkulam, Meppayur, Payyoli Angadi, Maniyur and Chorode.
