Three months before the local body elections in the State, the least likely scenario that the United Democratic Front (UDF) would have foreseen was the Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K. Mani breaking away from its fold to join the rival coalition.
And even when it happened, they hardly regarded it as a challenge. The Congress, as the lead partner of the UDF, instead saw it as an opportunity to firm up the party’s position in the Central Travancore, known for its predominantly anti-Left positioning.
But as results of the local body polls came out on Wednesday, the outfit has evidently demonstrated its might once again by winning majority of the seats where it contested. More importantly, the KC(M) also helped the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to make significant inroads into the region and breach many a UDF bastions, including the Kottayam district panchayat and the Pala municipality, in the process.
Hits Joseph group
As if these were not enough to upset the UDF, the faction also wrested a couple of seats from the UDF in Thodupuzha municipality – a bastion of the rival KC(M) group led by P.J. Joseph, besides helping the LDF to score a historic win at Puthupally, the home turf of none other than Congress stalwart Oommen Chandy.
“The results have clearly proven which is the real Kerala Congress (M). This victory will go a long way in changing the overall political discourse of Central Kerala,” remarked Mr.Mani.
Though the party has seen litmus tests before – during the bar bribery case or during the byelection after the death of K.M. Mani – the election this time was primarily watched as a battle for prestige between the splinter groups of the KC(M).
In Kottayam alone, the Mani group fielded candidates in as many as 424 seats, including 327 panchayat and 41 municipal wards. The Joseph faction, on the other hand, contested from 320 seats, including 242 panchayat and 33 municipal wards.
And in seats where the rivals squared up to each other, the Mani group has mostly rendered the opponent inconsequential. At the same time, the regional outfit has consolidated its position within the LDF, while also raising the stakes over the Pala seat in the Assembly elections due next year.
