6 months ago
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As the adjacent municipal predetermination approaches successful Thodupuzha municipality, governmental parties successful the hilly territory of Idukki are keen to debar the governmental theatre that marked the 2020 polls. In that election, the United Democratic Front (UDF) won much seats than the Left Democratic Front (LDF), but the LDF yet assumed power amid a bid of melodramatic developments.
With different predetermination astir the corner, the UDF is focussed connected preventing a repetition of the 2020 mistakes, portion the LDF aims astatine securing powerfulness with a stronger mandate. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is besides eyeing power of the municipality.
In the 35-member Thodupuzha municipality, the UDF presently holds 14 seats, the LDF 12, the BJP 8, and 1 spot is vacant owed to disqualification. Despite winning less seats than the UDF successful the section assemblage elections, the LDF initially elected Saneesh George, a UDF rebel, arsenic chairperson. However successful July 2024, helium resigned aft being named the 2nd accused successful a bribery case. In March 2025, the LDF mislaid power of the municipality aft a no-confidence question moved by the UDF secured a majority.
In 2020, it was the Kerala Congress faction led by P.J. Joseph’s insistence connected bagging the chairmanship that outgo the Congress dearly, handing the reins to their rivals. This time, the Congress appears to person learned its lesson.
“We volition not repetition the mistakes of the past,” assured Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee wide caput Ibrahimkutty Kallar. “The UDF volition propulsion disconnected a Thiruvananthapuram-style surgical onslaught erstwhile it comes to spot allocation successful Thodupuzha.” Talks connected seat-sharing are already nether way, helium said, adding confidently that the UDF is connected way to reclaim Thodupuzha municipality, Kattappana municipality, and the Idukki territory panchayat.
Seat-sharing talks
But the BJP is not staying quiet. Sreelakshmi Sudheep, BJP councillor, said her enactment is eyeing the power of the municipality itself. “In the 2020 election, we had 8 councillors. This time, we’re aiming higher,” she said. “Discussions connected seat-sharing are successful afloat swing, and groundwork has already begun.”
Meanwhile, the LDF, which erstwhile dominated Thodupuzha, is determined to marque a beardown comeback. Communist Party of India(CPI) councillor Muhammed Afsal said the beforehand is leaving nary chromatic unturned to clinch the municipality. “In the past election, losing powerfulness to the BJP slowed down development. This time, we’ll regain power with a wide majority,” helium declared. “Only the LDF has brought real, visionary improvement to Thodupuzha municipality,” said Mr. Afsal.
With each beforehand rallying its cadres and the run machinery already successful motion, Thodupuzha is bracing for a fierce contention that promises to beryllium arsenic aggravated arsenic it is unpredictable.
