If the Left Democratic Front retains the Kollam city Corporation, who will be the mayoral candidate of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)?
The party cannot hide the fact that now there are three CPI(M) mayoral candidates in the fray for the November 2 elections: S. Rajmohan, V. Rajendrababu and M. Noushad. The latter two are members of the outgoing Corporation council.
Mr. Rajendrababu had briefly been the Mayor of Kollam from March 2010 to November 2010. Mr. Noushad is the present deputy mayor. For Mr. Rajmohan, it is his maiden attempt to the Kollam Corporation.
Another contender to the post, X. Earnest, decided not to contest. Within the CPI(M) there was an agreement of sorts till last month that Mr. Rajendrababu will be the mayoral candidate of the party. That was to compensate the party’s inability to accommodate him in party positions.
Prior to the district conference of the party early this year, Mr. Rajendrababu was seen as the right man to become the secretary of the Kollam area committee of the party.
But in a sudden twist, A.M. Iqbal was chosen for the post with an assurance that Mr. Rajendrababu will be accommodated as district committee member of the party during the district conference.
When that too did not happen, all sections in the party agreed to project him as the mayoral candidate of the party.
Flouted agreements
But as the elections approached, agreements began getting violated. With the name of Mr. Earnest doing the rounds, the name of Mr. Rajmohan, protégé of CPI(M) State committee member K. Varadharajan popped up.
That led to the exit of Mr. Earnest and entry of Mr. Noushad. If the LDF retains the council, then the decision of the CPI(M) district secretary K.N. Balagopal will be final and Mr. Noushad is heavily banking on that, according to party sources.
Mr. Rajmohan is contesting from the Kureepuzha division, Mr. Rajendrababu from Uliyakovil East and Mr. Noushad from Pallimukku.
Party has three contenders for the Kollam Mayor post
