Will the LDF retain its bastion of Neyyattinkara?

Will Neyyattinkara roll out the red carpet for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) yet again?

The municipality has been an LDF stronghold since the 1970s with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) scoring an upset only once, in 2010.

The battle lines have always been drawn between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-led LDF and the UDF in the municipality.

In 2015, the LDF won in 22 of the 44 wards, and the UDF, though hobbled by the rebel menace, retained 12 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had last bagged a ward back in 2000, scooped up five wards.

Five years later in 2020, the LDF retained the municipality, securing 18 seats - the CPI(M) won 15, Communist Party of India two seats, and Kerala Congress (Mani) one.

The Congress put up a better show to emerge the single largest party with 17 seats.

The BJP sprinted to victory in nine seats, improving its 2015 tally by four seats despite LDF and UDF claims that it would not retain even half the seats.

The LDF won the 2021 Assembly election to Neyyattinkara too. Sitting MLA K. Ansalan defeated R. Selvaraj of the Congress for the second time after 2016, winning 47.02% of the votes.

As Neyyattinkara heads into another local body election, all fronts fancy their chances.

Though its falling seat share is a cause for concern, the LDF hopes to ride a red wave this time, courtesy stalled projects it pushed to fruition to realise the municipality’s ‘development potential.’ The Shanthiyidam gas crematorium and development of Perumpazhuthoor junction that had been promised by the LDF for years have become a reality, it is pointed out.

The Congress has not been able to clamp down on the rebel threat. Moreover, the suspension of District Congress Committee general secretary and Neyyattinkara municipal councillor Jose Franklin from the party following allegations of sexual harassment of a woman and abetting her suicide have put it on the defensive.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hopes to make further inroads into the two fronts’ strongholds and wrest control of the municipality. The party says both the LDF and the UDF had failed to take any steps to make the crematorium or the Perumpazhuthoor project a reality though they both had a majority in the municipal council at different points of time. The BJP though consistently raised these projects in the council. Finally, the crematorium came up at Malanchani in Plavila ward whose councillor belongs to the BJP.

Following delimitation, the number of wards in Neyyattinkara municipality has increased by two. The new wards are Chemmanthattu and Therannur, taking the total number of wards to 46. Which of the fronts will benefit from this remains to be seen.

The fronts expect the candidate list to be finalised within a week.

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