As debates rage over a tacit understanding between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Welfare Party of India, a political wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Kottayam has produced a political oddity that is likely to make some Left Democratic Front (LDF) allies nervous.
Nishad Nadakkal, district president of the People’s Democratic Party founded by Abdul Nasir Maudany, is throwing his hat in the ring as an LDF Independent in Ward 9 of Erattupetta municipality. He faces off against Yasir Vellooparambil of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Abdul Bassith of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which currently holds the seat.
But even as he contests under the LDF banner with the ‘country boat’ as his election symbol, Mr. Nadakkal’s campaign posters continue to display the image of Mr. Maudany, an apparent nod to his PDP ties. PDP leaders, on their part, happily vouch that he has been a steadfast loyalist for three decades.
Dose of realpolitik
On the other side, LDF leaders maintain that no formal seat-sharing talks had taken place with the PDP and insist that Mr. Nadakkal had resigned from the PDP to contest as an LDF Independent. Attempts to reach him for a confirmation went unanswered, further triggering speculation.
A senior LDF leader, however, has offered a dose of political realpolitik. “While seat-sharing in Kottayam primarily involved Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], Communist Party of India (CPI), and Kerala Congress (M), in some wards influential local figures are fielded based on local arrangements. Mr. Nadakkal’s candidature is part of such a strategy,” he said.
Published – November 27, 2025 07:55 pm IST
