On the fray for the 7th time, this time as a rebel

Shyamala S. Prabhu, a former State vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who is contesting as an Independent candidate from Cherlayi ward of the Kochi Corporation, is likely to be one of the veteran candidates in the fray this time. After winning all six civic polls she had contested since 1998, Ms. Prabhu is all set for her 7th local body polls. The popularity graph of Ms. Prabhu remained steady since her first win, as evidenced by her successive victories in the ward. This time around, Ms. Prabhu, who is still a member of the BJP, is contesting to prove a political point. Her contest is against a few BJP leaders of the area, whom she describes as a “coterie that relentlessly worked to sideline me and many active party workers and fielded a lesser-known person as the party candidate.” The chosen one, she alleged, was the dummy candidate of a rebel candidate, whom the group had fielded against her in the 2015 election.