Local body polls: Congress to field Sabarinadhan in TVM Corporation
Formerly a state vice-president of the Youth Congress, he now serves as the general secretary.
Formerly a state vice-president of the Youth Congress, he now serves as the general secretary.
Formerly a state vice-president of the Youth Congress, he now serves as the general secretary.
Thiruvananthapuram: In a major move to strengthen its presence in the Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation, the Congress has decided to field prominent leaders, including former MLA KS Sabarinadhan, in the upcoming local body elections. Currently, the Congress-led UDF holds the third position in the LDF-ruled Corporation, trailing even behind the BJP, which serves as the main opposition.
Sabarinadhan will contest from the Kowdiar ward. Though he resides in the neighbouring Sasthamangalam ward, the party chose him for Kowdiar since his home ward has been reserved for women in this election.
An MBA graduate and engineer who previously worked with the Tata Group, Sabarinadhan entered politics following the death of his father, veteran Congress leader G Karthikeyan. He contested the 2015 Assembly byelection from Aruvikkara in Thiruvananthapuram—his father’s constituency—and defeated senior CPM leader M Vijayakumar by 10,128 votes. While he retained the seat in the 2016 Assembly election, Sabarinadhan lost in 2021.
Formerly a state vice-president of the Youth Congress, he now serves as the general secretary. Recently, he enrolled as a lawyer in the Kerala High Court after completing his LLB from Kerala Law Academy.
By presenting popular and youthful candidates such as Sabarinadhan, the Congress hopes to improve its performance in the Corporation. The party’s candidate list will feature the maximum number of young leaders, said a senior leader. Youth Congress and KSU members will also be included, alongside experienced local leaders such as constituency committee presidents, he added.
The Congress is also considering fielding celebrity candidates like Veena S Nair. A consensus has reportedly been reached among top leaders regarding candidates for 48 wards.
In the 100-ward Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the LDF holds 51 seats, while the BJP has 34. Of the 10 wards which the UDF secured in the 2020 local body election, eight were won by the Congress.
Following the delimitation, the Corporation's wards increased to 101. Of these, 51 will be reserved for women — including five for Scheduled Caste (Women) and four for Scheduled Caste (General) — as determined by a draw of lots.