Shyamala S. Prabhu, the face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Kochi Corporation since the 1980s, has raised a banner of revolt, threatening to contest as an independent if the party fails to allot her ticket to contest from the Cheralayi division in the upcoming local body polls.
Ms. Prabhu, a party veteran, has successfully contested from the division six times—thrice each when it was a general ward and when reserved for women—between 1988 and 2020. She did not contest the last election, having made way for fresh faces. With the division once again reserved for women, Ms. Prabhu has staked her claim anew.
“I had no objection to giving opportunities to young candidates. But the party’s local leadership has now been hijacked by elements who had previously rebelled against the party and is now showing scant regard for grassroots-level workers. They have converted the party into the fiefdom of their families,” she said.
The party leadership held discussions with her on Sunday (November 9, 2025) in an attempt to placate her. She is currently awaiting the party’s decision. If granted a ticket, she will contest under the party’s banner; otherwise, she will enter the fray as an independent candidate, she has clarified.
Reportedly, Twenty20, the political outfit backed by the Kitex Group, has approached her with an offer to field her as their candidate. Ms. Prabhu has not conclusively ruled out the possibility, stating that her decision would depend on the party’s stance.
The BJP district leadership stated that it has no objection to Ms. Prabhu and will favourably consider her if her name appears in the list of potential candidates recommended by the ward committee. “The State leadership has directed that candidates be finalised based on the recommendations of ward committees, which may submit a minimum of three names. The list will be considered by the core committees of the respective constituencies before being forwarded to the district committee,” said P.S. Shaiju, district president of the BJP city district committee.
The party is now left to put its house in order after wooing Sunitha Dixon, the sitting councillor of the Vyttila division, from the United Democratic Front constituent Revolutionary Socialist Party on Saturday (November 8, 2025).
Published – November 10, 2025 06:50 pm IST
