For the people of the coastal district, for long used to what could only be termed as straight fight between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), the upcoming local bodies poll is poised to be a battle with a difference.
Alappuzha could well be termed one of the testing grounds of the new-found bonhomie between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the SNDP Yogam.
Being the home district of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, public and media attention is focused on Alappuzha and the way the BJP-Yogam tie-up will play out in the coming days.
And that is not the only difference this time. The UDF and LDF too have undergone changes. If it is the exit of the RSP that has brought about a change in the LDF, the UDF has parted company with the JSS. The RSP(B), led by A.V.Thamarakshan, and the Kerala Congress faction led by P.C. Thomas, are with the BJP.
Both the big alliances faced problems in seat allocation and dissidence came to the fore at several places.
The district has a new municipality, Haripad, the sixth in Alappuzha. Out of the five municipalities that went to the polls in 2010, three (Cherthala, Chengannur, Kayamkulam) are ruled by the UDF and two (Alappuzha and Mavelikara) by the LDF. In 2010, the UDF had won seven out of the 12 block panchayats, while the LDF had got the remaining five. Interestingly, the LDF had won 79 wards and the UDF 78 wards, leaving one seat to an independent, in the block panchayat elections.
Out of the 73 grama panchayats that went to the polls in 2010, 36 were won by the LDF. Ten panchayats had a hung body at the time of declaration of results. The BJP had won 39 seats in the grama panchayats.
The LDF and the UDF are in power in 36 grama panchayats each.
In the case of district panchayat, out of the 23 wards, the LDF had taken the lead, winning 14 wards.
Being the home district of Vellappally Natesan, public and media attention is focused on Alappuzha and the way the BJP-Yogam tie-up will play out in the coming days
