DCC president Mohammed Shiyas announcing the first list of Congress candidates for the upcoming local body elections at the Ernakulam DCC office in Kochi on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: R.K. Nithin
The Congress on Tuesday (November 11, 2025) released its first list of 40 candidates for the Kochi Corporation elections, featuring 22 women, out of the 65 divisions the party is contesting.
At a press conference, District Congress Committee (DCC) president Mohammed Shiyas announced that the second list, covering the remaining 25 divisions, would be released shortly. Eleven seats have been allotted to United Democratic Front (UDF) allies: the Indian Union Muslim League (7), Kerala Congress (Joseph) (3), and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (1).
A notable candidature is that of V.P. Chandran, a former CPI(M) councillor and party office bearer, who will contest from the Vytilla division as a UDF independent. Technically, he will run under the RSP quota since the seat is assigned to that party. Mr. Shiyas described Mr. Chandran, who quit CPI(M) over factionalism and dissatisfaction with the leadership’s dominance, as the ideal candidate for the division.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary and sitting councillor Deepthy Mary Varghese, considered a strong contender for the Mayor’s post reserved for women, will contest from the Stadium division. “We will field more women than the mandatory requirement by nominating them in general divisions not reserved for women. The Mayor will be selected at the parliamentary party meeting after the election,” Mr. Shiyas said. Of the 76-member house, 38 divisions are reserved for women.
The Congress has fielded a mix of fresh faces and former councillors. When asked whether former mayor Soumini Jain would contest, Mr. Shiyas was evasive, saying only to wait for the remaining list. He asserted that the party would not face internal rebellion this time, a problem that has plagued it in the past.
Mr. Shiyas accused the “double-engine” government of the LDF, at both the State and Corporation levels, of failing to deliver development for Kochi, instead indulging in “corruption”.
Former Mayor Tony Chammany echoed this criticism, claiming the outgoing LDF governing committee had failed to launch a single project of its own, merely completing initiatives started by previous UDF regimes. He described the SmartCity project as a “UDF baby,” won during his tenure.
MLA T.J. Vinod, UDF chairman Dominic Presentation, Ms. Varghese, and KPCC general secretary B.A. Abdul Muthalib were also present.
Published – November 11, 2025 07:15 pm IST
