Open campaign for first-phase of Kerala local body polls ends

Thiruvananthapuram: The open campaign for the first phase of the Kerala local body polls, which is widely considered as the semi-final for the assembly polls that will soon follow, ended on Sunday.

With the BJP improving its electoral influence in Kerala over the years, a triangular battle is likely at many places, especially the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram corporation in the state capital.

While the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front is trying to set a trend in their favour by reaping the benefits of its welfare initiatives like increasing the social security permission to over 60 lakh persons from weaker sections and development projects ranging from the Vizhinjam port to Kochi metro, the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance have been trying to cash in on the Sabarimala gold heist and various corruption allegations against the government. Stray dog menace and garbage issues are also key issues in the local body polls.

The sexual assault charges by couple of women against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil is being politically used by the CPM and the BJP against the Congress. In a damage control bid, the Congress swiftly expelled Mamkootathil from the party. Delay in nabbing Mamkootathil is also alleged to be part of a political ploy of the ruling left-front to keep the issue alive during the polling.

Out of the 14 districts, seven districts are going to the polls on December 9 and the remaining seven on December 11. The districts in the first phase poll are Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Ernakulam (Kochi).

The BJP is making all out efforts to win the Thiruvananthapuram corporation where it made great strides in the last two local body elections by winning 35 of 100 seats both time and emerging in the second place by pushing down Congress to the third position. In a bid to make a comeback, Congress fielded former MLA K S Sabarinadhan and projected him as mayor candidate, while BJP fielded the first woman IPS officer from Kerala R Sreelekha, who retired as director general of police.

Even as local issues and local connect of the candidates are crucial factors in local body polls, the trend in local body polls could have its influence in the assembly polls due to take place within a few months. The LDF had got an upper hand in the 2020 local bodies and they came to power in Kerala for the second consecutive term in the assembly polls that followed by overcoming the strong anti-incumbency factors that then prevailed.