LDF faces internal rift in Thrissur Corporation over seat allocation

A major rift has erupted within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Thrissur Corporation over seat allocation, with coalition partner Kerala Congress (M) announcing its own candidates in three general divisions. The Kerala Congress (M) has declared its own candidates in the Civil Station, Olari, and Puthurkara divisions, where a Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] candidates had already been announced by the LDF. All three are general seats.

The Kerala Congress (M) had demanded four seats, including at least one general division, but the LDF allotted only two women-reserved divisions—Edakkunni and Ayyanthole. Edakkunni is the party’s sitting seat, and the LDF decided to field the current councillor Caroline Perincheri. In Ayyanthole, the LDF named Latha Siddhakumar, an Independent backed by the Kerala Congress (M). However, the Kerala Congress (M) stated that this decision was made without its knowledge and that Ms. Siddhakumar is not its candidate.

In previous polls

In the previous election, the party had contested the Ayyanthole division as part of the LDF but finished third. Of the nine seats in the region, five are general and four are women-reserved. The CPI holds three general seats, while CPI(M) holds two.

The Kerala Congress (M) leaders said the decision to field rebel candidates was taken after the party was sidelined in areas where it has significant influence. Its candidates are K.K. Santhosh Kumar, party’s Ayyanthole mandalam president, in the Civil Station division; district committee member Sreekumar Plakkatt in Olari; and district steering committee member Vinod Kuruvath in Puthurkara. Party functionaries added that a formal complaint has been submitted to party chairperson Jose K. Mani regarding the issue.