Of the 38 local body wards going to the bypolls on September 28 in Keralam, eight could be politically crucial as these wards fell vacant following the election of their incumbent representatives to the State Assembly.
Though the outcome of the interim polls will not have any impact on the existing political equations in the eight respective local bodies, they could be interpreted as a sign of the people’s response to the four-month-old United Democratic Front (UDF) government in the State.
Held by UDF
All but one of the eight wards were held by the UDF, and a drop in the number could be embarrassing for the ruling front that won the State elections by a landslide with 102 seats in the 140-seat Assembly.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF), meanwhile, appears to be keen to wrest the local body seats left vacant by UDF MLAs as it could help the front big time tide over the embarrassment caused by the drubbing in the Assembly elections.
Three of the eight ‘MLA segments’ are district panchayat divisions. While the Kallara division of the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat fell vacant following the election of Congress’s Muhammed Sudeersha S. as the Vamanapuram MLA, the victory of Kerala Congress’s Vinu Job Kuzhimannil from the Changanassery Assembly constituency paved the way for the bypoll in the Thrikkodithanam division of the Kottayam district panchayat. The bypoll in the Pallasana division of the Palakkad district panchayat was necessitated following the election of CPI(M)’s T.M. Sasi as the Altahur MLA.
Ayyappankavu division of Kochi Corporation and Kuttichira of Kozhikode Corporation are going to the bypolls following the election of Congress’s Deepak Joy and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)’s Fathima Thahiliya from Thripunithura and Perambra Assembly segments, respectively.
The bypoll in the Paruthikkavu ward of the Chittur-Thathamangalam municipality in Palakkad was necessitated by the election of Congress’s Sumesh Achuthan as the MLA of Chittur.
Pallickal ward of the Mananthavady block panchayat in Wayanad and Kalleli ward of the Aruvappulam grama panchayat in Pathanamthitta fell vacant with the election of Congress’s Usha Vijayan and C.V. Santhakumar from Mananthavady and Adoor Assembly constituencies, respectively.
On the campaign front
Both the UDF and LDF have deployed their top leaders on the campaign front in a move showing the political urgency of the bypolls. “The other day, UDF convener Adoor Prakash addressed a campaign rally in Kalleli ward and three DCC general secretaries have been given the charge of the campaign. We are highlighting the achievements of the UDF government in a short span of time,” said Mr. Santhakumar, MLA. Admitting that the voters sometimes complain about power cuts, he said the UDF workers keep explaining the circumstances that led to such a situation.
CPI(M) State committee member A.N. Shamseer said the bypolls will be analysing the four-month performance of the V.D. Satheesan-led UDF government. “The campaign is being run by respective local leadership with party secretariat and State committee members given charge for different wards. We will retain our incumbent seats and wrest more including the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat division. The bypoll will mark the comeback of the LDF,” he said.
Mr. Sudeersha, MLA, said he has a “natural responsibility” about the poll campaign in his Kallara division. “We are aware of the political relevance of the bypoll and confident about retaining the seat,” he said.
A.A. Rahim, another CPI(M) State committee member, said the LDF looks at each bypoll, even in ward, with utmost political seriousness, and is highlighting issues including power cuts, uncertainty over welfare pension distribution and KIIFB projects on the campaign front. “Chief Minister Satheesan keeps getting exposed day by day and we are making it a discussion point among the people,” he said.
BJP State secretary Jiji Joseph, meanwhile, said the party is contesting in all wards and will make its presence felt in the bypolls.
