Congress’ bid to field BJP leader in Cheralayi division falls flat

The Congress’ attempt to spring a surprise in the Cheralayi division of the Kochi Corporation by wooing six-time BJP councillor Shyamala S. Prabhu failed, as she declined to contest as an Independent backed by the United Democratic Front (UDF).

The party has now announced Meenu Rajan, an ASHA worker and a debutant in electoral politics, as its candidate. The district Congress and UDF leaderships had been making persistent efforts to bring in Ms. Prabhu ever since she raised a banner of revolt against the local BJP leadership in Mattancherry and declared her intention to contest as an Independent. To accommodate her, the Congress even kept the Cheralayi and Ravipuram divisions open by withholding candidate announcements there, while declaring nominees for the remaining 62 divisions it is contesting in.

Ms. Prabhu said that she remained loyal to the BJP, but her candidacy is a protest against the leadership in the Mattancherry Mandalam, which, she alleged, dates back to a decade ago when they fielded a rebel against her in the 2015 election. “The party should have taken action against them at that time itself. I would not have contested had they agreed to field a grassroots-level, hard-working party activist whom I recommended as the candidate,” she said. Ms. Prabhu added that not only the Congress but also the Communist Party of India, Twenty20, and the Shiv Sena had approached her to contest with their support.

This meant that the Congress’ attempts to field ‘surprise’ candidates in Cheralayi and Ravipuram divisions had fallen flat. Reportedly, the party had tried to field former Mayor and party leader Soumini Jain from Ravipuram but had to drop the plan after she sought assurance of being made Mayor if the UDF emerged victorious. The party eventually settled on Antony Judy, who crossed over from Twenty20 after contesting on that party’s ticket from the Ernakulam constituency in the last general elections.

Girly Robert
| Photo Credit:
R.K. Nithin

Additionally, the UDF has replaced its candidate in Karanakkodam (Division 36), Nancy Robin, with Girly Robert. Ms. Robin reportedly withdrew owing to health issues.

NDA candidates

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) declared 11 more candidates, all from the BJP, for the Kochi Corporation on Tuesday.

NDA district chairman K.S. Shaiju said that the candidates had been announced for 73 out of the 76 divisions. The ally partner, Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), remains to announce three more candidates. A potential rift in the NDA was averted after the dominant constituent, the BJP, allotted 13 seats to alliance partner BDJS.

Since the election notification, the BJP dropped Ms. Prabhu and inducted two sitting councillors of the UDF in the Corporation — Sunitha Dixon from the Revolutionary Socialist Party and Santha Vijayan of the Congress.

A notable presence among the NDA candidates is Joshi Kaithavalappil, president of the parent-teacher association at St. Rita’s Public School, Palluruthy, which recently made headlines following the hijab (headscarf) row. He is contesting from the Palluruthy Kacheripadi division as an NPP candidate.