A decade ago, there was not much debate on who would come out on top in local bodies elections in Thiruvananthapuram district, considering the Left Democratic Front (LDF)’s firm hold on the panchayats and municipalities back then.
The tables turned in 2010, with the United Democratic Front (UDF) for the first time gaining an upper hand in a majority of local bodies. Still, the gap between the two fronts was thinner compared to the other districts. Five years hence, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) becoming more than just a minor player, the fight is expected to be tighter than ever in the 1,727 wards in the district.
The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has been a left bastion for the past four decades, but in the last elections, it could only barely scrape through with 50 seats in the 100-member council. When the two RSP councillors moved over to the other side, its situation became precarious.
It has been dependent on the BJP's six councillors to negotiate its way through turbulent situations in the Corporation council. The LDF hopes for a better performance this time given the possibility of many rebel UDF candidates remaining in the fray and the decision of a disgruntled JD(U) councillor to contest under the Left banner. The UDF wrested control of the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat from the LDF for the first time in 2010, but the internal power struggle between the ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups has been a matter of serious worry for the UDF leadership from day one. In fact, factional feuds have been a common feature to the two municipalities held by the UDF — Neyyatinkara and Varkala.
The Varkala municipal chairman was ousted earlier this year through a no-confidence motion moved by his own party members. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) suspended the Neyyatinkara municipal chairman two months ago for ‘anti-party activities'. Given all these developments, the LDF could be sensing an opportunity to claw back to power in these municipalities. In contrast, the LDF has had relatively comfortable tenures in the Nedumangad and Attingal municipalities. At Attingal, it is in a position of strength after its novel initiatives in waste management won national awards.
Out of the 73 grama panchayats, the UDF had won 31 and the LDF had secured control of 28. The rest of the 14 grama panchayats witnessed a struggle between both fronts for control. Out of the 11 block panchayats, the UDF had won 6 and LDF 4. If the 2010 polls were a battle between the UDF and LDF, it may not be so this time. The BJP, with its ally the SNDP Yogam, is in the fray this time with a clear game plan and that can well upset the calculations of the UDF and LDF, perhaps throwing up some significant hints about what is in store when the State goes in for Assembly elections some six months from now.
