Congress fields young State-level leaders in stronger push for a comeback in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which has been pushed to the third place in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the past two terms, is making a stronger push for a comeback by fielding a few young State-level leaders. The Congress on Sunday declared candidates to 48 seats, with former MLA K.S. Sabarinathan and District Congress Committee secretary M.S. Anilkumar being the prominent faces from among them.

Mr. Sabarinathan will be contesting from the Kowdiar ward while Mr. Anilkumar will contest from the Kazhakuttam ward. Former council party leader Johnson Joseph will contest from the Ulloor ward.

N. Sakthan, who holds the temporary charge as Thiruvananthapuram DCC president, told The Hindu that the party has gone in for a mix of young and old candidates. The selection of the first list of candidates was carried out unanimously.

“We really have hopes of coming back in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation this time around. The party is planning to organise vehicle rallies led by K. Muraleedharan in all the 101 wards,” he said.

After 2015

The UDF had held 40 wards out of the 100 wards in the Corporation in the 2010-15 period. However, in the 2015 local body polls, a mix of poor candidate selection and the surge of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meant that the UDF was for the first time reduced to the third position in the council with 21 seats, while the LDF got 43 and BJP 35.

In the 2020 local body polls, the Congress’s tally went down further to 10 seats, while the LDF improved its position to 51 and BJP won 34. The UDF has its task cut out in attempting to arrest this steady decline.

Meanwhile, according to CPI(M) sources, the party is considering fielding S.P. Deepak, district committee member and former general secretary of the Kerala State Child Welfare Committee, in the election. The Pettah area committee has recommended his name to the district committee. Mayor Arya Rajendran is unlikely to contest. Sitting councillors including Medayil Vikraman and Amshu Vamadevan are likely to contest.