Fight in Kottarakkara will become intense if Aisha Potty contests as UDF candidate

KOLLAM: If former MLA Aisha Potty, who quit the CPM and joined the Congress, contests as a UDF candidate, the fight in Kottarakkara, where the LDF earlier had high hopes, will become intense. Minister K.N. Balagopal, who is seeking re-election from the constituency, will face a tough test. Aisha Potty enjoys acceptance that goes beyond party politics.

In 2006, Aisha Potty entered the Assembly as the LDF candidate by defeating R. Balakrishna Pillai. She repeated her victory in Kottarakkara in 2011 and 2016 as well.

Aisha Potty was first fielded by the CPM in the 2000 local body elections to win the Kottarakkara division of the district panchayat. At that time, she was 42 years old. A practising lawyer at the Kottarakkara court, she was also an activist of the All India Lawyers’ Union. After winning the Kottarakkara division, she was made president of the district panchayat for the last two and a half years of the council. She won again from the same division in the 2005 local body elections.

A popular MLA
As the Kottarakkara constituency’s traditional UDF-leaning nature changed, the CPM leadership tried to sideline Aisha Potty in 2016, citing the party’s two-term rule. However, the move failed. Party workers openly protested against the state committee member who was considered as her replacement. Contesting for the third time in 2016, Aisha Potty won by securing double the votes of the UDF candidate.

Made way for Balagopal
In 2021, she stepped aside to make way for K.N. Balagopal. During this period, she became a CPM district committee member. She expected a position in the government during the second LDF term, but did not receive one. The party ignored her at the inaugurations of several projects she had initiated during her tenure as MLA. Gradually, she distanced herself from the party and became active again in the legal profession. She stopped attending party programs and committee meetings, following which she was removed from the district committee. Rumours about her joining the Congress began after she attended an Oommen Chandy memorial event six months ago.

Assembly elections: Opponents and Aisha Potty’s victory margin

2006: R. Balakrishna Pillai – 12,087
2011: N.N. Murali – 20,592
2016: Savin Sathyan – 42,632