LDF's development juggernaut runs into a seawall in Kochi

Kochi: "If the sea takes our homes, what does a vote mean?" asked Mariamma Arattukulangara, a resident of Puthenthodu in Chellanam, capturing the high-stakes mood as the Kochi Assembly constituency heads to the polls. In this coastal seat, politics is not just about ideologies, it is a desperate negotiation with the sea.

Along the narrow, salt-sprayed roads of West Kochi, the visual battle is impossible to miss. On nearly every available wall, a poster of LDF's sitting MLA K J Maxy is matched by a defiant Mohammed Shiyas hoarding placed right opposite. If one junction is draped in the red of the CPM, the next is a sea of UDF tricolour. This is not just a usual election, it is arguably the tightest and most volatile contest in the Ernakulam district, where the voter DNA has shifted significantly over the last two decades.

To understand the intensity of the current fight, one must look at the 18-year history of this seat. Formed during the 2008 delimitation, Kochi replaced the old Mattancherry constituency. While Mattancherry was a compact urban hub of traders and the Muslim League's traditional stronghold, the new Kochi constituency absorbed the sprawling coastal panchayats of Chellanam and Kumbalangi too and added them to around 20 divisions of Kochi Corporation.

This geographical expansion brought in a massive Latin Catholic and fishing-community base, fundamentally altering the electoral arithmetic. The results of the last three elections tell a story of a steady crawl towards the left. The UDF era began with Congress veteran Dominic Presentation winning by a massive 16,503-vote margin in 2011, banking on the consolidated Latin Catholic vote. In 2016, the LDF wrested the seat when K J Maxy unseated Presentation by a razor-thin margin of 1,086 votes. In 2021, Maxy increased his margin to 14,079 votes, defeating the UDF's Tony Chammany.

Chellanam paradox: The two sides of tetrapod seawall
The centrepiece of the LDF campaign in Chellanam is the 7.36 km tetrapod seawall in South Chellanam. Built at a cost of ₹347 crore, it has transformed the lives of those who once lived in constant fear.

"It was because of Maxy's efforts the seawall is finally here and we are now safe. He has better chances this time," said Arun, a resident near the Velankanni Church. The sentiment is echoed by Mary Antony Arukulasheril, a resident of Chellanam Bazaar. "Now our houses are finally safe. We thought of abandoning our houses and leaving Chellanam before the seawall was built," she told Onmanorama.

The LDF has capitalised on this, plastering the walls in the constituency with the slogan "K J Maxy- Chellanathinte Kanneeroppiya Kannamaliyude Kavalal" (The guardian of Kannamaly who wiped away Chellanam's tears).

However, this guardian image of Maxy faces a stern test just a few kilometres north. Where the new wall ends, the nightmare begins for residents of Puthenthodu and Kannamaly. While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially launched Phase 2 of the seawall- a 6.1 km stretch costing ₹404 crore- days before the election notification, the lack of physical progress has turned hope into hostility.

"The MLA claims Phase 2 is happening, but we see it only on flex boards," said Laila Eerasheril of Puthenthodu. "If they don't start now, our houses will fall in the next sea erosion and we won't survive another monsoon. We even lost our chapel to the sea last year," she added.

Kumbalangi: A village strangled by silt
While Chellanam fights the waves, the tourist haven of Kumbalangi is fighting a silent infiltration. Here, tidal flooding caused by massive silt accumulation in the backwaters has become the primary election issue.

"The salt water is destroying the fertile soil; we can't even grow vegetables anymore. Mosquitoes are breeding in the stagnant water, and the smell of mud is intolerable," said Peter, a local resident. The situation is most dire in wards like Anjilithara, where over 150 families find themselves physically isolated.

"We are surrounded by water. The dirt road becomes a slushy trap during high tide. Even in medical emergencies, it's a struggle to get a vehicle in," said Joby Jojo.

Jasmine Rajesh, the ward member for Anjilithara, points to a lack of state intervention. "We need desiltation and at least three modern bunds with sluice gates, costing roughly ₹3 crore each. The government has not done anything so far."

Familiar face vs the outsider
Maxy is banking on his ten-year track record. Known as an approachable leader who is "always available", he points to renovated interior roads and the South Chellanam seawall as his legacy.

The UDF's choice of Shiyas is a bold departure from tradition. Historically, both fronts have fielded Latin Catholic candidates from the Kochi diocese. Even Tony Chammany, a Latin Catholic from the Varapuzha diocese, lost here as the UDF candidate in 2021, proving how localised the community sentiment is.

Shiyas's entry was initially marred by delays and internal party friction, as the Latin Catholic church leadership reportedly pushed for a community candidate. By fielding Shiyas, the UDF is gambling on his popularity as the firebrand DCC President. Being a non-resident and a non-community candidate, Shiyas has initially been labelled an "outsider."

"It is true that Maxy got a head start, and we were a bit late to start the campaigning. But Team Shiyas is working double time. We will win Kochi this time," said Susan Thomas, Palluruthy Block Panchayat Vice President.

The wild card is Xavier Joolappan, a high court advocate and Latin Catholic fielded by Twenty20 in alliance with the NDA. In 2021, Twenty20's 19,676 votes largely eroded the UDF's base. This time, the T20-NDA combine aims for a 25 per cent share, though their alliance has seen mixed reactions on the ground. Interestingly, while the UDF and LDF have saturated the streets with posters, the NDA presence remains curiously thin on the ground.

While some believe Maxy holds an advantage with the Church's quiet backing, potentially leading to a consolidation of non-Christian votes elsewhere, the voters themselves seem to be moving toward issue-based politics.

"Most of us are Latin Catholics, but we have our own politics," said Soshamma Jacob from Puthenthodu. "Our votes depend on how our problems are resolved. No community head can decide for us; we just want our coast protected."

If the 2025 local body elections are any indicator, the UDF has reason to be optimistic. The Congress-led front swept the majority of Kochi Corporation divisions and retained Kumbalangi Panchayat with 14 out of 19 seats. Even in Chellanam, the UDF holds 15 seats compared to the LDF's 7.