Power players will clash to conquer Kochi

KOCHI: Ernakulam district, where the UDF has nine MLAs, continues to be a stronghold of the Congress-led UDF, and the LDF is not ready to experiment here. Even though the UDF controls the district panchayat, Kochi Corporation, most municipalities, and several grama panchayats following the local body elections, the LDF plans to fight strongly with the support of its five MLAs. The NDA has not yet opened its account in the district.

The CPM district leadership has reached a consensus to field all five sitting MLAs again. Strong candidates will be considered in seats that were earlier lost. Kochi MLA K J Maxi and Kothamangalam MLA Antony John are likely to be given exemptions from the two-term rule. Industries Minister P Rajeev’s Kalamassery constituency is expected to be the LDF’s star seat, as several development projects, including in the IT sector, have been implemented under his leadership.

Opposition Leader V D Satheesan’s Paravur constituency is the UDF’s star seat. Paravur, traditionally a CPI stronghold, is not expected to pose a serious challenge to Satheesan. Since defeating Satheesan, who frequently challenges the Chief Minister inside and outside the Assembly, is a key CPM agenda, there were earlier suggestions to swap Paravur and Piravom. However, there has been no further discussion. In Piravom, a UDF constituent seat, former minister Anoop Jacob is expected to contest.

The Congress is facing moral concerns over Perumbavoor MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly, who is facing allegations related to a woman harassment case. There are also discussions about shifting sitting MP Hibi Eden to an Assembly seat. The concern for the party is that other MPs may also demand Assembly seats.

Uma Thomas, who delivered a strong performance in the by-election, is the only woman MLA from the Congress in the Assembly. She is likely to contest again from Thrikkakara. In Thrippunithura, where K Babu won with the narrowest margin, it is unclear whether he will be fielded again. There are rumours that actor Ramesh Pisharody could be considered as a candidate, with the final decision likely to depend on community equations.

Despite the strong UDF wave in the local body elections, the BJP managed to capture power in the Thrippunithura municipality, giving the party some confidence. Thrippunithura is the BJP’s main focus area in the district, though finding a winnable candidate remains a challenge. In the last election, BJP candidate Dr K S Radhakrishnan secured 15.3 per cent of the votes.

Assembly constituencies in Ernakulam district

Constituency MLA Front Winning Margin Perumbavoor Eldhose Kunnappilly UDF 2,899 Angamaly Roji M John UDF 15,929 Aluva Anwar Sadath UDF 18,886 Kalamassery P Rajeev LDF 15,336 Paravur V D Satheesan UDF 21,301 Vypin K N Unnikrishnan LDF 8,201 Kochi K J Maxy LDF 14,079 Thrippunithura K Babu UDF 992 Ernakulam T J Vinod UDF 10,970 Thrikkakara Uma Thomas UDF 25,016 Kunnathunad P V Sreenijin LDF 2,715 Piravom Anoop Jacob UDF 25,364 Muvattupuzha Mathew Kuzhalnadan UDF 6,161 Kothamangalam Antony John LDF 6,605