Rebel candidates pose major challenge to LDF, UDF in TVM
The LDF is confronting significant rebel challenges in Vazhottukonam, Ulloor, Kachani, Chempazhanthy and Vizhinjam.
The LDF is confronting significant rebel challenges in Vazhottukonam, Ulloor, Kachani, Chempazhanthy and Vizhinjam.
The LDF is confronting significant rebel challenges in Vazhottukonam, Ulloor, Kachani, Chempazhanthy and Vizhinjam.
Rebel candidates continue to trouble both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as the final list of contestants becomes clear. The LDF faces strong internal dissent across several wards, with prominent local leaders stepping into the race against official nominees.
The LDF is confronting significant rebel challenges in Vazhottukonam, Ulloor, Kachani, Chempazhanthy and Vizhinjam. The CPM leadership attempted to pacify the rebels until the last minute, but the efforts failed.
In Ulloor, former local committee member and former Deshabhimani bureau chief K Sreekandan entered the contest after levelling allegations against MLA Kadakampally Surendran. In Chempazhanthy, former block panchayat president Ani Ashokan is contesting as a rebel.
Vazhottukonam local committee member K V Mohanan filed his nomination in protest against the candidate selection. Nettayam Satheesh in Kachani and N A Rasheed in Vizhinjam have also submitted their papers.
UDF is also facing similar issues in four wards. Sudheesh Kumar in Poundukadavu, former councillor Krishnaveni in Punchakkari, INTUC mandalam president P Lalu in Kazhakootam and Youth Congress leader Sisain Hussain in Vizhinjam have entered the fray as rebels.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is contesting in Poundukadavu, while the RSP is fielding a candidate in Punchakkari. In addition, seat-sharing disputes have prompted the Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction to contest in five wards.
Former Kerala Congress (M) constituency president Vijayamoorthy is the Kerala Congress (Joseph) candidate in the Vizhinjam ward. In the Port ward, Kovalam constituency president Baby Perera is contesting.
Nirmala Thomas is contesting in Palayam, while former Kazhakootam grama panchayat member A M Hussain is in the fray in Kazhakootam. Kerala Youth Front district president Thekkeveettil Sujith is also contesting in the Sainik School ward alongside the Congress candidate.