Since the district panchayat came into existence in 1995, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has maintained its dominance in the first three consecutive elections but lost to the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the last polls. This was despite the LDF managing to equal the 12 number of seats that UDF won.
In the 26-member Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat, the Congress had seized power with 12 members and crucial support from two Janata Dal (United) members.
The times have changed. This time, the LDF is firmly on a strong footing after it went to campaign mode much ahead of its rivals and began by reminding voters of the “uncertainty” the UDF had created in the panchayat due to factional feud. True to the campaign, the five-year rule of the UDF was marked by internal differences resulting in change of guard midway and frequent disruptions of committee meetings by the ruling members on corruption charges against its own standing committee members and president. The well-oiled machinery of the LDF had been quite successful in their campaign strategy so far, announcing candidates for all 26 wards without much rumblings. The Left’s campaign managers say its hold over the electorate in rural pockets of the capital district was intact and that it had lost last time due to the then prevailing internal political dynamics, primarily in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
The UDF leaders, even while admitting that the front hit campaign trail a bit late due to differences over finding ‘suitable’ candidates, say that they still have an upper hand, courtesy the development works the front initiated along with the programmes of the UDF government.
According to a source in the District Congress Committee (DCC), the inroads that the BJP had made into the rural areas will eat into traditional LDF vote, which will in turn benefit the UDF electorally.
For the BJP, which has failed to open an account in the district panchayat so far, this election would be a test to see whether it has been able to expand its base to non-urban areas of the capital district. The party for the first time has put up candidates in 25 out of the 26 wards and is hopeful of reaping benefits due to tacit understanding with the SNDP Yogam.
