KOCHI: Ravipuram is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched skirmishes in the battle for Kochi corporation. A three-way contest, shifting demographics, and one wildcard candidate have turned this traditionally predictable division 10 into an electoral cliffhanger.
At the heart of the buzz is BJP’s C G Rajagopal — better known as Muthu — a leader with a reputation that cuts across party lines. Popular, ever-accessible, and deeply networked in the community, Muthu’s presence has injected rare energy into the race.
Taking him on is LDF’s S Sasikala, seeking to retain a seat she secured in 2020 thanks, in part, to a split in votes — when V4Kochi polled over 400 votes, helping her edge past the UDF candidate in what was historically a Congress stronghold.
The UDF, meanwhile, has sprung a surprise by fielding Antony Judy, who had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election with Twenty20’s backing.
Beyond the standard political rivalries, the contest is being shaped by development anxieties, temple-linked influence, and shifting voter profiles after delimitation. Areas from Thevara and South division have been added, complicating the caste- community balance and leaving seasoned observers divided about the outcome.
“Ravipuram has become unpredictable,” said Ramachandran, a long-time resident, reflecting a sentiment heard across the division.
Sasikala, who enjoys strong goodwill in pockets of the division, has built her campaign around her track record: Rapid installation of streetlights and surveillance cameras, addressing waterlogging and drinking-water shortages, and keeping waste management issues under control. Her WhatsApp group for residents — through which she responds to complaints in real time — has become a talking point. “My work these five years gives me confidence,” the sitting councillor said.
Rajagopal, meanwhile, leans heavily on his personal equation with the electorate. “Muthu is accessible to everyone. He turns up for all functions — political or not,” said a resident.
Having contested the assembly election in 2011 and 2019 and the corporation poll in 2005, he remains a familiar face with strong grassroots rapport. The BJP hopes this goodwill, combined with the Modi government’s development narrative — CSML, Kochi Metro, PM Awas Yojana — will tilt the scales. “People today vote for development, not along class or community lines,” he asserted.
While Ravipuram has seen Congress heavyweights like Soumini Jain and David Parambithara represent it in the past, the UDF has opted for Antony this time — another twist that adds to the uncertainty. In the run-up, there was speculation that the Congress will field Soumini, but the party decided against her candidature following disagreement over the mayor’s post.
With the LDF banking on performance, the BJP betting on the Muthu factor, and the UDF hoping for a revival, Ravipuram has turned into a rare three-cornered thriller. This time, everything — from temple influence to the delimitation shuffle to the ghost of those 400 V4Kochi votes — could matter.
The only certainty? Ravipuram’s verdict will be one of the most closely tracked results on counting day.