KOCHI: With the Congress on Friday unveiling the list of UDF candidates for the corporation and district panchayat elections, the poll fever has gripped the district which is home to the commercial capital of the state.
The other two major fronts, the CPM-led LDF and the BJP headed NDA, have already announced their candidates. The UDF has gone in for a mix of youth and experience while choosing the candidates. Of these, 15 are experienced candidates while 48 will be contesting for the first time. Interestingly, the Congress has chosen to field 11 candidates who are in their early twenties.
N Venugopal, KPCC general secretary and former GCDA chairman, will be the party’s mayoral candidate. His name has been doing the rounds as the mayor-pick of the Congress since the talks on candidate selection for the local body polls began. KR Premkumar, MB Muraleedharan, Shiny Mathew and VK Minimol are also in the list of probable mayor candidates, if the Congress emerges as winners.
IUML has been allotted six seats and Kerala Congress (J)three seats while the RSP candidate will contest from Vyttila division. Soumini Jain not to contest The DCC made it clear that outgoing Mayor Soumini Jain will not be in the fray.
The factional feud in the party and her stubborn refusal to share the Mayor's post is learnt have resulted in her being denied the seat. However, a source in the party hinted that Soumini Jain will be given an assembly seat. Besides, the DCC announced candidates for 18 seats in district panchayat.
Former CPM leader in UDF list
Mahesh Kumar, one of the leading LDF councillors on Tony Chammany’s governing council, will contest from Kunnumpuram this time as a Congress candidate. He had lost last time as an LDF candidate. He joined Congress three years ago following difference of opinion with the party. No candidate in Thrikkanarvattam. There will be a public independent candidate. The Congress is contesting in 63 divisions. There are aroundf 15 former councillors in the fray.
Gracy Joseph to enter fray as independent, make Congress sweat
KOCHI: With the District Congress Committee (DCC) denying a seat, outgoing Kochi Corporation development standing committee chairperson Gracy Joseph has decided to contest as a rebel candidate. Gracy Joseph, who was suspended by the DCC for having defied a party diktat, will contest in Kaloor South division where the Congress has fielded Rajani KS.
Though the DCC had a plan to bring back Gracy into the party fold ahead of the local body elections, the district leadership decided to drop her from the list. Since the two-time councillor has strong base among the public, the Congress will have to work hard to overcome her challenge.
"I met DCC president TJ Vinodh last week to express my interest to contest under the party symbol. Though they responded positively, they delayed the decision. I was waiting for the candidate list to be announced to take my stand. I will contest as an independent candidate. they," said Gracy.