The Hindu 20.10.2010
Fronts fight for conquering new bastions
Sangeetha Unnithan
While LDF is hoping to win back the confidence of the voters who swayed to the right in the last parliamentary polls, UDF is trying to turn the tide in its favour.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As campaigning for the local body elections reaches its final lap, conquering new bastions has emerged as the broad game plan for the leading coalitions fighting the elections in the core wards of the city.
While the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is hoping to win back the confidence of the city voters who swayed strongly to the right in the last Parliamentary elections, the United Democratic Front (UDF) is trying to turn the tide in its favour and achieve the magic number of 51 seats in the Corporation council.
Thambanoor, Vazhuthacaud, Vanchiyoor, Pujappura, Pettah, Pattom, Kuravankonam, Nalanchira, Jagathy, Sasthamangalam, Chala, Palkulangara and Karamana are among the tightly contested wards in the city.
Of this, Vanchiyoor, Karamana, Jagathy and Chala wards are reserved for women.
Dr. P.S. Chandrakala of the Janata Dal is hoping to retain the party seat at Vanchiyoor where her main rival is P.S. Sarojam of the Socialist Janata (Democratic).
Independent Brahmin candidate L. Radha, who is supported by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), will be facing S. Jayasree of the CPI (M) at Karamana.
BJP’s hope
Jagathy, meanwhile, is one of the core city wards where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has high hopes for its candidate Sheeja Madhu.
Former mayor J. Chandra is contesting for the CPI (M) from Peroorkada, another ward reserved for women.
At Nalanchira, it is a straight fight between the Congress and the CPI (M) with Leader of the Opposition in the last council Johnson Joseph pitted against N. Gopalakrishnan of the CPI (M).
The Congress has fielded R. Harikumar against CPI’s Thampanoor Madhusoodanan Nair at Thampanoor, while K. Maheshwaran Nair of Congress is pitted against Kalady Jayachandran of the CPI at Pujappura.
CPI’s Vazhuthacaud Narendran will face Suresh Kumar of the Congress at Vazhuthacaud, another hotly contested ward in the city. Former UDF leader of the council D. Sudarshanan, who is also fighting a namesake at the ward, will face P. Shyamkumar of the RSP at Kuravankonam.
Meanwhile, at Pattom a rebel candidate Pattom Sreekumar is threatening the scope of UDF candidate K. Murukeshan.
Ulloor and Cheruvakkal are the wards where the UDF is facing competition from rebels.
Karikkakom, Palkulangara and Sreekanteswaram are among the wards where the BJP is hopeful of making its presence felt.
Development is the main agenda put forth by the fronts in the core city wards, with both of them promising improvement of basic infrastructure and urban utilities.
The LDF is banking on the development projects initiated and completed during its tenure while the UDF is highlighting the Corporation’s failure in delivering basic utilities including drinking water and good roads.
