KOCHI: In Koothattukulam, which is facing the first election after acquiring the status of municipality, nothing peculiar could be spotted that differentiates the local body from the days when it was grama panchayat.
“Here, the political situation is similar to that prevailing everywhere else in the State. The fight is between the two main Fronts, but when it comes to spending of funds they join hands and make a mockery of the guidelines,” said Prabhakaran, a 65-year-old shop-owner.
The general aspects of State politics is applicable to Koothattukulam also, especially the CPM’s inability to cash in on the factional feud in the Congress, the main constituent of the ruling Front, during seat sharing.
From the manifesto of the LDF, it is clear that the Front has not made any attempt to move forward from the ‘cliche’ promises they have been making for many decades. The promises go like: ‘corruption-free governance; drinking water and electricity for all; and subsidy for paddy farming’. When it comes to the UDF, the main poll promise is the much-repeated ‘people friendly development’.The UDF highlights the new KSRTC bus depot, fire station, new roads and setting up of the Judicial Magistrate Court as its achievements over the past five years. “Our achievements are enough to ensure victory for us in this election as well,” claims Prince Paul John, who is a member of the Pampakuda block panchayat and the Congress’ candidate in the election. The UDF had secured ten out of the 14 seats in Koothattukulam in the previous election, which comes under the Muvattupuzha taluk. In the Pampakuda block panchayat, the Congress had won nine seats in the 2010 local body polls, while its ally Kerala Congress (M) got one seat.
The LDF, meanwhile, won four seats in the previous election - the CPM three seats and CPI one. “Our campaign is based on the public’s unified fight against the anti-people policies of those who are in power,” said CPM local secretary M R Surendranath. Koothattukulam was upgraded into municipality with 25 wards and 5,169 households in its limits. The total population is 17,225, with an average population/ward of 690, making Koothattukulam the smallest municipality in the State.
As many as 90 candidates are contesting from the 25 divisions of the municipality, with the Manjerikkunnu ward having the highest number of candidates. The campaign is more-or-less focused in the town area. In addition to the Congress, CPM, CPI and the BJP, the KC (M), KC(J) and the NCP are also contesting in Koothattukulam.
Koothattukulam shares its boundaries with the panchayats of Elanji, Thirumaaradi and Palakkuzha and the Kottayam district. As in the case of Piravom, Koothattukulam was also declared a municipality back in 1996, but the move was eventually dropped following protests.