Congress candidates in Palakkad seek votes & blessings for their marriage
Shyam, who was a KSU leader at Nenmara NSS College, said their bond strengthened when Gowja became the district vice-president of KSU.
Shyam, who was a KSU leader at Nenmara NSS College, said their bond strengthened when Gowja became the district vice-president of KSU.
Shyam, who was a KSU leader at Nenmara NSS College, said their bond strengthened when Gowja became the district vice-president of KSU.
It's not an ideal run-up to a wedding; public conventions, closed-door meetings, and house visits. Gowja Vijayakumar, 28 and Shyam Devadas,30, are left with no choice, though. They represent Congress in the local body elections, and their wedding is due in January 2026.
Gowja, the UDF candidate in the Kallepully West ward of the Maruthrode grama panchayat, met Shyam when both served as office-bearers in the Kerala Students Union's (KSU) Palakkad district committee. Shyam, now the Congress candidate in the Pallassana division of the Nenmara block panchayat, said that their early acquaintance gradually deepened into a relationship.
Both began their political journey through the KSU. Gowja entered active politics while pursuing Computer Science at Palakkad Victoria College. She later became the college's Vice Chairperson — a post KSU secured after 28 years, she noted. After graduation, she completed her Master’s degree at Calicut University before pursuing an LLB at the Government Law College, Kozhikode.
She said that during her post-graduation, she also served as a member of the Palakkad KSU district committee. "It was during that time that I met Shyam. At first, it was just a casual acquaintance, which gradually grew into a strong relationship," she said.
Shyam, who was a KSU leader at Nenmara NSS College, said their bond strengthened when Gowja became the district vice-president of KSU. "We started as co-workers, then became friends," he said.
Both steadily rose through the ranks of KSU. Gowja is now the State General Secretary of KSU, while Shyam, who served as a KSU state committee member, was later elected to the post of Youth Congress District General Secretary. The duo will tie the knot on January 28. They said the wedding will not be a grand affair, and will be held at the Registrar’s Office, followed by a small function.
They assume a tone of steely determination when they talk about taking on the CPM, which they accuse of stalling development in their respective panchayats. The CPM has governed Maruthrode Grama Panchayat for the past two terms. In the 2020 elections, the party won 14 of the 19 seats, leaving Congress with just four. This time, the number of wards has increased to 21, and Gowja is contesting in one of the newly formed wards.
"The roads here are in terrible condition. Many families still don’t have proper housing. There is a persistent drinking water shortage, and the CPM has done nothing to improve people’s lives while in power," she alleged. Gowja added that the Congress has fielded a strong slate of candidates and that regaining the panchayat is essential for its development.
Shyam has been entrusted with the task of reclaiming the Pallassana division of the Nenmara block — a CPM stronghold. In the previous election, the CPM won 12 of the 13 seats in the block. This time, however, the Congress has fielded a young, energetic set of candidates in an attempt to wrest the block from the Left.
Both Shyam and Gowja say they are confident of victory and insist that their personal lives will not interfere with their election campaigns. They assure voters that they will remain available and committed to public welfare, even as they juggle wedding preparations and the heat of the poll season.