A clear picture of the polls in Kannur is yet to emerge with seat-sharing consultations of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the final stage.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has an early start in the campaign as it has already announced the list of candidates in the district panchayat, the Kannur Corporation and also, some of the municipalities. Some of its candidates have already filed their nominations.
The UDF is yet to announce its joint list of candidates for the district panchayat and the Corporation. The UDF sources said talks for seat-sharing in the district panchayat and the Kannur Corporation reached a conclusion and the candidates would be announced on October 14, the last day for filing nominations.
According to the sources, the UDF is anticipating rebel candidates in some seats. It was to repel the potential rebels that the names of the candidates were being announced on the last day of filing nominations, they said.
The Indian Union Muslim League’s announcement on Wednesday of its candidates in 19 wards in the Corporation pointed to a lack of unity in the UDF.
IUML leader V.P. Vamban said at a press meet on Tuesday evening that the IUML was announcing candidates in the 19 seats allotted to it in the 55-ward Corporation. District Congress committee president K. Surendran was not available for comment.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also announced its candidates for the Corporation polls. The party will field candidates in 37 wards and support an Independent candidate in one ward.
