The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is making a vigorous push to reclaim its standing in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, where it has struggled in recent terms, being relegated to third place. The party recently unveiled its first list of candidates for 48 seats, prominently featuring promising young state-level leaders like former MLA K.S. Sabarinathan and District Congress Committee secretary M.S. Anilkumar.
K.S. Sabarinathan is slated to contest from the Kowdiar ward, while M.S. Anilkumar will represent the Kazhakuttam ward. Adding to the strong lineup, former council party leader Johnson Joseph will vie for a seat in the Ulloor ward.
According to N. Sakthan, the interim president of the Thiruvananthapuram DCC, the Congress has strategically blended youth and experience in its candidate selection. He highlighted that the initial list of candidates was finalized through a unanimous decision.
Sakthan expressed strong optimism about the party’s prospects, stating, “We genuinely hope to make a significant comeback in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation this election.” He further revealed plans for extensive vehicle rallies, spearheaded by K. Muraleedharan, across all 101 wards.
A Look Back: Performance Since 2015
Historically, the UDF held a strong position with 40 out of 100 wards in the Corporation between 2010 and 2015. However, the 2015 local body elections marked a turning point; a combination of suboptimal candidate choices and a notable rise in support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw the UDF slip to an unprecedented third place with just 21 seats. In contrast, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) secured 43 seats, and the BJP won 35.
The downward trend continued in the 2020 local body polls, where the Congress’s representation further dwindled to a mere 10 seats. The LDF strengthened its dominance with 51 seats, while the BJP secured 34. Clearly, the UDF faces a significant challenge in halting and reversing this persistent decline.
Concurrently, sources within the CPI(M) indicate that S.P. Deepak, a district committee member and former general secretary of the Kerala State Child Welfare Committee, is being considered as a potential candidate. His name has been put forward by the Pettah area committee to the district committee. Notably, current Mayor Arya Rajendran is reportedly not planning to seek re-election, though several sitting councillors, including Medayil Vikraman and Amshu Vamadevan, are expected to contest.