KOCHI: With less than 10 days remaining for polling, Ernakulam South division of Kochi Corporation is witnessing a close contest with Congress going on an overdrive to reclaim its lost citadel and BJP determined to retain its bastion. Though the BJP and the Congress have a strong presence in the division, the LDF reckons on the goodwill created by Mayor M Anilkumar to capture the seat. The election is scheduled to be held on May 17.
The seat fell vacant following the untimely demise of BJP councillor Mini R Menon.While the Congress has fielded Anitha Warrier, an environmental engineer with the Cochin Smart Mission, the BJP has roped in Mahila Morcha national secretary Padmaja S Menon. The CPI has fielded Aswathy Sathyan, a former candidate of V4Kochi. “It is a tough three-cornered fight and we have an advantage as a large number of voters hope for a change,” said CPI district secretary P Raju.“The rousing welcome we are receiving during the campaign is clearly an indicator. We see a clear advantage.” Meanwhile, the UDF candidate has completed three rounds of campaign. The party workers are hopeful of reclaiming the division, which was a bastion of the UDF for nearly 40 years.
“The campaign has entered the final stage and our candidate has already completed three rounds of house visits,” said senior Congress leader KVP Krishnakumar, who had represented the division in the corporation for years. “There were some factors which worked against us in the previous election. We have addressed those issues. Since Anitha Warrier is an engineer, the public mood is in her favour,” he added.
In local body elections held in 2020, the BJP had wrested Ernakulam South, which was considered a bastion of the UDF. The UDF’s reign of over 40 years ended with its candidate losing by 281 votes.
KVP Krishnakumar and former deputy mayor B Bhadra had represented the division in the corporation before Mini R Menon captured it for the BJP. The BJP pins its hope on the majority Hindu voters. It also believes there is a sympathy factor linked to Mini’s untimley death. “Our candidate, Padmaja S Menon, doesn’t need an introduction in the division. The change brought in by the BJP has increased the public’s confidence in us. We are pretty confident of victory,” said BJP state committee member C G Rajagopal .