KOCHI: Even as the Congress unveiled its first list of 55 candidates, a cloud of suspense hangs heavy over its Ernakulam fortress, with four key constituencies — Kochi, Tripunithura, Vypeen and Perumbavoor — still without nominees, exposing intense factional pulls and delicate community calculations within the party.
At the heart of the deadlock is Kochi, where Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan is pushing hard for his close aide and DCC president Mohammed Shiyas. But resistance is mounting from within. Party insiders admit that fielding a Muslim candidate here could upset carefully balanced community equations, especially with Shanimol Osman already contesting from neighbouring Aroor. The Latin Catholic factor, crucial in Kochi, has further complicated Shiyas’s prospects. “Given the social dynamics and the Aroor decision, accommodating Shiyas in Kochi looks extremely difficult,” a senior leader said.
The collapse of earlier backchannel efforts to wrest Kalamassery from ally IUML has only deepened Congress’ troubles. The League on Tuesday announced V E Abdul Gafoor’s candidature from the seat, setting up a direct contest against CPM’s P Rajeeve and shutting the door on any last-minute swap.
In Kochi, the race remains wide open. Deepthi Mary Varghese has emerged as a strong contender, while Joseph Martin and corporation councillor Henry Austin are also in the fray. The final call is likely to trigger a domino effect across constituencies.
Perumbavoor presents another tricky puzzle. Despite sitting MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly seeking a third term and claiming strong development credentials, speculation is rife that Shiyas could be shifted here as a compromise formula. However, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala is said to be firmly backing Eldhose, setting up another internal tug-of-war.
Satheesan is backing Sharon Punakkal, a Latin Catholic face, in Vypeen. However, it remains to be seen how this will be played out if a Latin Catholic candidate is nominated in the Kochi seat. In Kochi and Aroor, the sitting MLAs, both from CPM viz, K J Maxi and Daleema, belong to the Latin Catholic community.
Tripunithura, has turned into a high-stakes battleground. With sitting MLA K Babu stepping away from electoral politics, the mantle is up for grabs among M Liju, Deepak Joy and Raju P Nair. Sources say Babu is keen on deputy mayor Deepak Joy as his political heir, a move that could see a redux of the 2021 contest — albeit in a different constituency.
Adding to the intrigue, NDA-backed Twenty20 has already played its card by fielding actor Anjali Nair, sharpening the electoral pitch in a constituency marked by complex caste arithmetic, with a dominant Ezhava base, followed by Nair and upper-caste Hindu voters.
The delay in naming candidates is not just a tactical pause — it is a reflection of a party struggling to balance ambition, arithmetic and authority on the eve of a crucial electoral battle, said sources.
candidate details
Resistance over fielding Mohammed Shiyas in Kochi as a Muslim candidate could upset community equations
With MLA K Babu away from electoral politics in Tripunithura, the competition is among M Liju, Deepak Joy & Raju P Nair
Shiyas could be shifted to Perumbavoor though MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly is seeking a third term