KOCHI: With only hours left for the declaration of local body election results, all three major political fronts exuded confidence of a strong showing in Kochi corporation, even as the city braces for possibly one of its tightest local body contests in recent memory.
The presence of Twenty20 and rebel candidates in several divisions has redrawn traditional vote equations, leaving the CPM-led LDF, Congress-led UDF, and the BJP navigating unfamiliar uncertainties on the eve of counting.
The LDF, which won 34 seats in 2020 and wrested power in the council with the support of three UDF rebels, believes it is well-positioned to retain influence.
“We expect positive results. We have always been confident,” said S Satheesh, CPM Ernakulam district secretary.
Yet, party insiders admit privately that the battle has been far closer than expected, with one senior leader describing it as “a neck-and-neck fight” where predicting the majority is impossible.
For the Congress, this election is a bid to reclaim its former bastion. The UDF, which ruled the corporation for two consecutive terms from 2010 to 2020, is hoping to bounce back from its 2020 setback — triggered by anti-incumbency sentiment, internal strife, and the disruptive entry of V4 Kochi.
“We will secure a comfortable majority… above 40 seats,” a Congress insider said, downplaying the impact of rebels in Palarivattom, Giri Nagar and Chullikkal.
The BJP, meanwhile, is eyeing expansion, banking on a vote surge to double its strength from five to ten seats.
“We have five seats and will secure six more. In divisions like Thrikkanarvattom, Puthukalavattom, Ravipuram, and Giri Nagar, our chances of victory are high,” said K S Shaiju, BJP district secretary. The party also faced a rebel, six-term councillor Shyamala Prabhu in Cherlayi.
Across the fronts, confidence runs high, and so does caution. Multiple leaders acknowledge that the mix of rebels, independents, and Twenty20 has made Kochi one of the most unpredictable battlegrounds this time. As counting begins, one thing is clear: Kochi is poised for a political cliffhanger.