KOCHI: Though KC(M) Jose K Mani faction has emerged as the third most powerful party in the LDF after CPM and CPI, with it being allotted 13 seats including two sitting seats of CPM, political observers feel the winnability of the party’s candidates in the seats is doubtful and may be a setback for LDF.As per the agreement in LDF, KC(M) will get Kaduthuruthy, Pala, Poonjar, Kanjirappally, Changanassery, Ranni, Idukki, Thodupuzha, Piravom, Perumbavoor, Chalakudy, Kuttiyadi and Irikkur seats.
However, protests are brewing in CPM in Kuttiyadi and Ranni for allocating the seats to KC(M). The allocation of Ranni, represented by CPM leader Raju Abraham since 1996, to KC(M) would help UDF, political observers said. Kuttiyadi, carved out of Meppayur after the 2011 delimitation, is a CPM stronghold. LDF’s K K Lathika won in 2011 but lost in 2016 by just 1,157 votes.
“Ranni is not a stronghold of Kerala Congress. Tiruvalla is considered a KC bastion in Pathanamthitta. The denial of the seat to Raju will adversely affect LDF in Ranni. The same is the case in Kuttiyadi and Perumbavoor, which has a historical importance as it was the place of Communist leaders P K Vasudevan Nair and P Govinda Pillai,” said political commentator A Jayasankar.
Perumbavoor was an LDF stronghold with CPM’s Saju Paul registering three consecutive wins from 2001 to 2011. He lost to Congress’ Eldhose Kunnappilly in 2016. “A tough battle is waiting for KC(M) candidates in all the seats, including Pala,” said a source. In Pala, Jose is taking on sitting MLA Mani C Kappan, while in Thodupuzha, the party candidate has to face P J Joseph, who won by a margin of 45,587 votes in 2016. In Kanjirappally, represented by N Jayaraj of KC(M) now, the party will be locked in a triangular fight with Congress and BJP.