THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During the 2015 local body elections and the 2016 Assembly elections, it was poor candidature which played spoilsport for the Congress. Despite KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran coming out with a circular on guidelines on candidature, things have not changed much where now what’s being witnessed is group equations are being maintained which has caused uproar in the party. The political atmosphere is conducive to the UDF leadership that they have a good chance of enhancing their current positions in the three-tier local body elections.
A section of Congress leaders are upset with the way in which the managers of the two groups are jeopardising the party’s prospects by succumbing to the groups’ interests. Currently, the Congress has got only Kochi Corporation, Kannur Corporation Mayor belongs to Indian Union Muslim League with the remaining four Corporations, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Thrissur and Kozhikode wrested by the CPM.
The three-tier local body elections have always been considered as a semi-final outing before the real finals of the Assembly elections which will happen in another three to four months.
During every election when CPM and BJP effortlessly announce their candidates’ list, the Congress house always witnesses uncertainties and complex situations with less luckier ones hurling abuses at the leadership. This time also it is no different. Though Mullappally has come up with a stricter mechanism this time with a plethora of guidelines on candidature, his predecessors feel that it is not going to help the party. “Now what is happening across the state is that like all times the managers of the ‘A’ and ‘I’ factions have resorted to seat-sharing mechanism.
People are keen to see the UDF coming back to power, but the Congress leaders are playing spoilsport. In majority of the districts, the candidates’ merit and the local leadership’s views are not being considered where the group’s interests are of paramount importance. Even before the candidature was fixed, the group managers had already finalised their candidates”, two former KPCC presidents told TNIE.
There are already threats of rebel candidates coming to the forefront. But clarity on that can be seen only after November 19 when the deadline for filing of nominations falls. However, KPCC vice-president Sooranad Rajasekharan clarified that the status quo of the two groups are maintained across the state in the three-tier local body elections.
“A six-member district committee has been formed by the KPCC leadership which is entrusted to take care of candidature. We are doing everything in a systematic manner and there is nothing more we can do on this. If there is severe setback in the local body elections, the six-member committee will be held accountable where stringent action would be taken against them,” said Sooranad Rajasekharan.
leaders upset
A section of leaders are upset with the way in which the managers of the two groups are jeopardising the party’s prospects by succumbing to groups’ interests