Parties begin seat-sharing for local body polls

Mainstream political parties have set in motion the process of seat-sharing for the three-tier local body polls in the district with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front holding preliminary talks with their coalition partners.

Leaders say that the seat-sharing process will be finalised this week. Minor partners in both the fronts are seeking more seats this time though no big changes will be effected.

The CPI(M) has already formed an election committee comprising Central Committee member Elamaram Karim, district secretary P. Mohanan and State secretariat member T.P. Ramakrishnan. They believe that one of the prestigious fights would be to the Kozhikode Corporation Council which the Left parties had been ruling for almost four decades.

A general decision is to drop two-time councillors. However, there would be exceptions. Many councillors will be retained, but freshers would be given preference. This time the post of Mayor is in the general category.

Several names doing the rounds are former Mayors T.P. Dasan and Thottathil Raveendran, Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef and former legislator V.K.C. Mammed Koya, CPI (M) sources said.

Seat sharing in the UDF camp has become a headache with major partners–Congress and Indian Union Muslim League–demanding more seats. The Janata Dal (United) wanted the process discussed at the State-level. A decision of the State UDF leadership earlier to hand over the post of district convener to JD(U) has already left the IUML fuming.

Possible mayoral candidates of Congress are former Minister P. Sankaran, P.M. Suresh Babu and P.M. Niyas.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to campaign more vigorously in the wake of its proxy alliance with the Sree Narayana Dharama Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam at the State-level. The party has no members in the current city council. But it had two members in the council 10 years ago.

Several other nascent groups such as the AAP, Welfare Party of India and Social Democratic Party of India and an Anti Corporation Forum are also likely to enter the electoral fray. Such a development should worry the LDF and UDF as these parties can cut into their traditional votes.