Battle lines have been drawn for a fierce triangular fight in the local body elections in Alappuzha.
ADVERTISEMENT
After the last day for the withdrawal of nomination papers, 5,330 candidates are in the fray in the district for the polls to be held on December 8.
A total of 1,565 seats are up for grabs in the local body polls in the district. Eighty-two candidates, including 43 men and 39 women, are seeking people’s mandate from 23 divisions of the Alappuzha district panchayat.
The number of people contesting elections for 215 seats of six municipalities is 789. They include 403 males and 386 females. A total of 508 candidates, including 277 women and 231 men, are in the fray from 158 wards of 12 block panchayats.
ADVERTISEMENT
As many as 3,951 people are seeking people’s mandate for 1,169 wards of 72 grama panchayats. They include 2,167 women and 1,784 men.
Although the electioneering has gained momentum, political fronts fear the presence of rebels could play spoilsport in a number of seats.
Besides, in Ward 8 of Muhamma and Ward 9 of the Punnapra South grama panchayats, Congress and Indian Union Muslim League candidates, both constituents of the United Democratic Front (UDF), are pitted against each other.
In Ward 10 of the Chunakara grama panchayat, candidates of the CPI(M) and CPI, constituents of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), are contesting against each other.
In the 2015 polls, the LDF bagged the district panchayat, 10 block panchayats, 48 grama panchayats and two municipalities - Kayamkulam and Mavelikara. The UDF won four municipalities - Cherthala, Alappuzha, Haripad and Chengannur, two block panchayats and 23 grama panchayats.
Although the BJP emerged the single biggest party in the Thiruvanvandoor grama panchayat, they were later ousted from power with the support of the UDF and the LDF.
While the LDF looks to repeat the good show of 2015, the UDF is hoping to tear into some of the red bastions. Giving them a tight fight will be the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.