THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With barely three days left for the polling of the local body elections, the candidates of three fronts contesting at the 44 wards of the Neyyattinkara municipality are confident enough to secure their votes by presenting a ‘development agenda’ in their election manifestos for one of the oldest municipalities in the state. The ruling front LDF and Opposition UDF have fielded candidates in all the wards, while the NDA has one seat short of contesting at 43 wards.
The LDF, which holds the reins in Neyyattinkara, had managed to wrest power in 2015, toppling the UDF. The Left front had adopted a strategy of raising corruption allegations against UDF councillors that eventually made the electorate in favour of the LDF. However, the UDF camp is playing the same card anti-developmental policies and graft allegations and it is supremely confident of bouncing back to power.
“The municipality had not witnessed any developmental works in the last five years as the chairperson and others were interested only in making money from some road maintenance works in the town and funds for the development were not utilised in a proper manner. Many issues in the town such as the centralised waste treatment plant still remain on paper. What the people need is an overall development and the LDF has turned the clock back on developmental works in the municipality by five years,” said Leader of Opposition, S Lalitha Teacher, who is contesting from Koottappana ward.
According to WR Heeba, outgoing chairperson, the LDF will taste victory once again as the people are satisfied with their rule in municipality and state. “The UDF camp doesn’t have any single-point agenda for the development of Neyyattinkara. They have failed in all areas during their rule from 2010 to 2015. Hence we were voted to power in 2015,” Heeba said.
Similarly, the BJP is confident of coming to power for the first time due to the anti-people policies and graft allegations against the LDF and UDF. The NDA is contesting in 43 wards, to cash in on its political roots in Neyyattinkara. “We will come to power this time. In 2015, we managed to come second by winning 5 out of 14 seats. So this time, we expect to win at least 23 seats,” said Manchathala Suresh, Karshaka Morcha district secretary who is contesting from Alummoodu ward.
The rebel factor is plaguing the BJP too, especially at Alummoodu ward. V Harikumar, a former RSS worker and BJP councillor, is contesting from the ward with a mobile phone symbol after resigning from the party. Similarly, BDJS is contesting as an independent from Rameshwaram ward. Of the 44 wards, 10 would see a stiff triangular fight between the UDF, LDF and BJP. Personal relations will prevail over political affiliations for around 64 per cent of the voters, said political analyst.