Kowdiar takes centre stage ahead of 2025 local body polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kowdiar ward, the happening place in the capital city that seldom caught headlines during the past years' elections, is now the centre of attention in this year’s local body polls. The election heated up in the ward after UDF fielded former MLA K. S. Sabarinadhan.

LDF and the BJP didn’t flutter either as they fielded equally strong candidates in the ward. The ward, currently with UDF, has a history of favouring LDF candidates too. BJP, which showed strength in all the neighbouring wards, lost Kowdiar by one vote last time. Satikumari of the UDF won by one vote, while Vatsalakumari of the BJP got 1139 votes and Sreelekha of the CPM got 836 votes. Sabarinadhan's candidacy in Kowdiar was unexpected. The former MLA is the Mayor's face of UDF and is eyeing a coup to wrest power in the capital city. The former Aruvikkara MLA is currently the general secretary of the KPCC.

BJP is fielding S. Madhusudhanan Nair, who is hoping for a hat-trick victory. Nair is currently the Sasthamangalam ward councillor. He had previously won from the Pangode ward. BJP workers are confident that Madhusudhanan Nair's personal connections will lead to victory.

The LDF has fielded A. Sunil Kumar, a former councillor in the Kowdiar ward. The LDF camp believes that Sunil Kumar will repeat the same win he scripted in 2005. Since Sunil Kumar's family hails from Kowdiar, it is expected that local connections will translate into votes. Sunil, who is active in social activities in the area, is a member of the CPM Palayam area committee and a member of the Karshaka Sangham district committee.