Kerala Congress (M) has fielded 551 candidates in the local body polls.
E.J. Augasthy, district president, The Hindu said that the seat-sharing exercise was much better this time than the 2010 elections when the party had to face ‘friendly contests’ with the Congress in a large number of seats.
The party is contesting 11 district panchayat divisions and 59 seats in the 11 block panchayats.
KC(M) will contest 20 seats in Pala municipality, five in Kottayam, two in Vaikom, 10 in Changanassery, and 11 in Ettumanur.
The party is contesting two seats in Erattupetta municipality, one of which is a friendly contest with the Congress.
Party has 438 candidates in the 1,140 wards of 71 grama panchayats. The party is not contesting to any seat in Pampady Meenadom and Puthuppally grama panchayats, which fall under Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s home turf, Puthuppally Assembly segment.
Meanwhile, the two parties have come into agreement in all the seats in Pala municipality and all the wards in the 12 grama panchayats falling under the Pala Assembly segment, represented by KC(M) leader K.M. Mani.
On the other hand, the party is engaged in friendly contest in all the 13 seats in Uzhavoor grama panchayt.
“The Congress had already declared that the coalition politics will not be applicable in their stronghold Kangazha grama panchayat where we have fielded nine candidates in our party symbol for the 14 member panchayat, Mr. Augasthy said.
The party is in friendly contest with Congress in two wards in Vijayapuram grama panchayat and one in Manarcadu grama panchayat.
According to him, the party was facing rebel menace in three wards in Ramapuram grama panchayat and in one ward at Pala municipality. They have been given two days time to come in line with the party decision or face disciplinary action, Mr. Augasthy said .
