Congress rebel A.V. Gopinathan to ally with LDF in Peringottukurissi

A.V. Gopinathan, rebel Congress leader and former head of the District Congress Committee (DCC), is out to put an end to the Congress’s long-standing rule in Peringottukurissi grama panchayat.

Mr. Gopinathan announced on Friday that he and his supporters would contest the upcoming local body elections under the Independent Development Front (IDF) banner, in alliance with the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

He said that seat-sharing talks with the LDF were ongoing. Currently, the United Democratic Front (UDF) holds 11 seats in the 16-member panchayat council, while the LDF has five members. Post-delimitation, the number of wards has increased to 18.

Mr. Gopinathan said that a final picture of the seat sharing would be ready in two days. He said he would end the six-decade-long juggernaut of the Congress in Peringottukurissi. He said a section within the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), one of the key UDF constituents, had offered its support to him.

Mr. Gopinathan, a former MLA and 25-year panchayat president, has predicted a historic win for a non-Congress party in Peringottukurissi, marking a shift in power. This will be the first local body election he is contesting outside the Congress.

However, the Congress leadership in the district is of the view that Mr. Gopinathan’s decision to ally with the CPI(M) will backfire.