KOCHI: The CPM-led LDF suffered a major setback in the Kochi corporation election as the Congress-led UDF returned to power, winning 46 of the total 76 seats and restricting the ruling LDF to just 20. Though the defeat is being generally being viewed as a reflection of the anti-LDF wave in the state, the CPM district leadership appears to deny it.
The LDF began their campaigning with confidence, expecting to secure a simple majority. According to the party officials, the candidates were strong, and the seat sharing between various factions in the front was smooth. Aiming to retain power in the local body, which has been a stronghold of the UDF, as many as seven former UDF councillors were fielded by the Left. But the strategy did not work, and only one among them, K J Prakashan from Mundamveli East, managed to win the seat, securing enough votes.
While the Left highlighted a series of welfare and development initiatives -- from Samridhi, She Lodge, Brahmapuram, water metro, new corporation office, Thuruthy twin tower and others -- under the outgoing council led by M Anilkumar, the voters were decidedly not convinced.
“There was a UDF wave across the state. It made its presence felt in the corporation as well. Our carelessness in some divisions also led to defeats by small margins,” a source with the CPM said. Though TNIE contacted S Satheesh, CPM Ernakulam district secretary, he was unavailable for comment.
The CPM even failed to project a woman candidate for mayor, though the position is reserved for women. Prominent names, including Deepa Varma, an experienced councillor who contested the Edappally division, and Aji Francis, the candidate in Karanakodam division, were discussed. But they were absent from major events and did not emerge as the face of the campaign. Deepa lost to Abdul Latheef of the Congress, while Aji was undone by UDF’s Nancy Robin.
Responding to Deepa’s defeat, a CPM leader said the division was not a sure seat of the LDF. A B Sabu, Sheeba Lal, Mayadevi, K V Manoj, P R Ranish, and M B Muraleedharan were the other prominent LDF candidates who lost. Allegations of a Congress-BJP nexus in several divisions, raised by the LDF, also failed to stick with voters.
“We will examine the mandate, which came despite implementing several development and welfare projects. The waste management issue was resolved, and the LIFE Mission project was implemented in the corporation,” said N Arun, CPI’s Ernakulam district secretary.
Though the UDF had the last laugh, the corporation election result is a lesson and an opportunity for the LDF to introspect.