Kannur: With the CPM finalising K K Shailaja as its candidate for Peravoor in the upcoming assembly elections, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown against KPCC president Sunny Joseph.

With only the formal announcement of both candidates pending, this will mark the second time the two will go head-to-head in Peravoor. During their first encounter in 2011, Sunny Joseph won by a margin of 3,440 votes, unseating Shailaja from her seat.

Sunny Joseph, who has represented Peravoor three times since 2011, is now seeking a fourth consecutive term. Despite achieving a hat-trick, he has never been able to secure a commanding majority.

However, the UDF has made significant gains in the constituency in both the Lok Sabha and local body elections recently. In the 2021 assembly elections, the UDF controlled only two of the constituency’s panchayats; after the recent local body elections, this number has risen to five. The constituency comprises a total of nine local bodies, including the Iritti municipality.

By fielding K K Shailaja, the CPM aims to test whether it can make inroads into what has long been considered a UDF stronghold.

Shailaja yields to pressure, enters Peravoor
It was under intense pressure that Shailaja, who had won Mattannur in 2021 by a historic margin of 60,963 votes, finally agreed to contest from Peravoor. She had insisted that she should be considered only for Matannur and no other constituency.It is believed that the possible repercussions of going against the party leadership led her to rethink her decision.

The upcoming polls will see Shailaja contesting the state assembly for the sixth time. Her previous battles include Koothuparamba (1996, 2016), Peravoor (2006, 2011) and Matannur (2021). She lost only once in Peravoor in 2011, while winning all her other elections. Shailaja also contested the last Lok Sabha polls from Vadakara but was defeated by Shafi Parambil. Her political future now hangs on the outcome of her electoral contest in Peravoor.