In Vyttila, face-off between defectors in three-cornered contest

A three-cornered contest is under way in the Vyttila division of the Kochi Corporation.

Both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) have fielded candidates who defected from rival parties. V.P. Chandran, the UDF-backed Independent, began his political career in the Communist Party of India (CPI) before moving to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. He was expelled last year following a skirmish among local committee leaders.

Meanwhile, A.B. Sabu, the CPI(M) candidate, is a three-time councillor who represented the Congress before switching sides in 2021 ahead of the last Assembly elections. R. Sakhil, who finished runner-up from the erstwhile Champakkara division in 2015, is contesting as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.

BJP candidate R. Sakhil interacting with voters at Petta.
| Photo Credit:
THULASI KAKKAT

Mr. Chandran claims that the CPI(M) had announced his expulsion at a public meeting without seeking his explanation. A former member of the party’s Thrikkakara area committee, he also served as the LDF’s parliamentary party secretary in the Corporation during his tenure as councillor after being elected from the Champakkara division in 2015. “People in the division trust that I will stand by them during times of crisis, that they can approach me even at midnight. I can sense that confidence when I meet them. The UDF’s organisational machinery is also firmly supporting me,” he said.

UDF-backed Independent P.V. Chandran campaigning at Vyttila.
| Photo Credit:
THULASI KAKKAT

For Mr. Sabu, this marks a return to the division from where he secured his maiden victory to the Corporation 25 years ago. Since then, he has won twice more from the Poonithura division in 2005 and 2015. Between those victories came a defeat in 2010 from the Island South division, when he was considered a strong contender for the Mayor’s post. Defending his decision to switch parties, Mr. Sabu argued that his decision was driven by the Congress’ lack of commitment to the people during its two successive terms in power in the Corporation from 2010 to 2020.

Now, fighting his maiden electoral battle against his former party, Mr. Sabu remains confident of victory. “I was never a councillor restricted to the causes of my division alone but always held a larger perspective and worked for the development of the entire city. People are aware of that,” he said.

Mr. Sakhil asserted that the BJP has strong roots in the division, which was represented by Sunitha Dixon, who won as a Revolutionary Socialist Party candidate (a UDF ally) in 2020. She has since joined the BJP and is contesting from the neighbouring Ponnurunni East division.

“The division was delimited in a way to dilute the growing influence of the BJP. Neither of the fronts has addressed the division’s problems, from drinking water shortages to traffic woes. The modernisation of the Champakkara fish market is also long overdue,” he said.

The division has been redrawn by subsuming the Champakkara division and nearly 90% of the former Vyttila division, accounting for over 6,500 votes.