Kerala local body polls: Rebels pose threat to CPM, Congress

Thiruvananthapuram: As the last date for withdrawal of nominations for the Kerala local body elections ended on Monday, over ten CPM candidates in party stronghold Kannur won unopposed, while rebel candidates were posing threats to both Congress and CPM at various parts of the state.

The Congress could heave a sigh of relief as a prominent Youth Congress leader who filed nomination as rebel candidates had withdrawn his nomination.  

Youth Congress state secretary Jasheer Pallivayal had filed nomination as Congress rebel candidate at Wayanad district panchayat accusing the party leadership of denying seats to youngsters. The party state leaders were learnt to have held talks with him, following which he had withdrawn his nomination  on Monday.

Both the Congress and CPM were facing threats from rebel candidates in several seats in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, which is witnessing a tough triangular contest with the BJP making all out efforts to win the corporation.

Congress is alleging that it was owing to threat by CPM activists that there were no opponents for CPM candidates in many wards in Kannur. 

Meanwhile, the Congress-led United Democratic  unveiled its welfare packed manifesto that assures five lakh houses to the homeless in five years. Addressing stray dog menace by strengthening animal birth control programmes and setting up shelters is one of the key civic issues that the manifesto addresses.