KOCHI: With the result of the upcoming byelection in the Gandhi Nagar division of the Kochi corporation set to be crucial for the LDF to remain in power, the front is keen to field a strong candidate.
According to sources, the CPM has shortlisted Manu Roy —who contested in the 2019 assembly byelection from Ernakulam as a Left-backed independent — as its candidate for the Gandhi Nagar division. Since Manu is a known face among the people after the assembly contest, the party believes that he will be a strong candidate against the UDF and the BJP. The bypoll has been necessitated by the death of CPM leader K K Sivan, due to Covid, on May 8.
As another byelection — in the Ernakulam South division following the death of a BJP councillor— is also nearing, the Gandhi Nagar bypoll is crucial for the ruling LDF. In the 74-member corporation council, the LDF and the UDF have 36 and 32 members, respectively. The remaining four seats in the corporation are held by the BJP. If either the UDF or the BJP emerges winner in the two divisions, the LDF would struggle to retain power.
“Since Gandhi Nagar is a UDF bastion, we need a strong candidate to retain the division. So the LDF has decided to consider Manu Roy as the candidate. However, a final decision is yet to be taken,” said a CPM source. As most of the residents in Gandhi Nagar division belong to the Latin Catholic community, fielding Manu Roy is considered to be an added advantage.
“Moreover, several relatives of Manu are settled in the division. That will help the LDF get an upper-hand in the election. Since he is an advocate, and has a strong network with the people, a large number of voters will accept him as a candidate,” the source said.
The latest development also hints at the CPM not considering the candidature of former councillor Sojan Antony. Earlier, a section of the CPM workers had raised apprehensions over fielding Sojan from Gandhi Nagar. “Sojan has some health issues and is not physically fit to contest the election,” added the source.
Meanwhile, Manu Roy remained evasive in his response about the possibility. “Some party workers have approached asking me to contest the byelection. But I am not in a position to contest an election now,” he said.
CPM district secretary C N Mohanan said no decision has been made yet. “The election notification hasn’t been made. We are yet to discuss the candidature for the byelection,” he said. The UDF had announced P D Martin, a former councillor who lost the election from the division in 2020, as its candidate.