Lack of unity in Congress may come in handy for LDF in Kalpetta

Kalpetta, one of the three municipalities in the hilly district of Wayanad, is emerging as a crucial electoral battleground for the rival fronts – the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) – in the forthcoming local body elections.

The control of the civic body has oscillated between the UDF and the LDF, often triggered by the realignment of the political forces within the coalitions. A significant factor has been the shifting loyalty of the erstwhile State unit of the Janata Dal (United), now the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The civic body is traditionally inclined to the UDF owing to the demographic advantage enjoyed by the Congress in the municipal region. However, the party is currently beset with internal challenges and may, therefore, struggle to secure a mandate.

Simultaneously, the LDF is pursuing an aggressive campaign to reclaim what it considers its former political stronghold.

While the resignation of District Congress Committee (DCC) president N.D. Appachan offered a temporary truce between warring factions in the party, the problems in the Congress unit remain a major flashpoint in pre-poll discussions that many believe could be detrimental to the party.

Chain of suicides

A chain of suicides including that of DCC treasurer N.M. Vijayan, his son, and Jose Nelledam, a member of the Mullankolly grama panchayat, along with the widespread allegations of corruption in Congress-run cooperatives and the purported involvement of senior leaders, have severely eroded the trust enjoyed by the party in the grassroots.

Kalpetta had been an LDF stronghold since its inception in 1990 until the UDF captured it in 2010. The UDF continued to be in power for the last 15 years except for over three years when the Janata Dal (United) jumped ship in 2016.

The position of the municipal chairman has been a precarious one throughout the last 10 years, during which it changed hands six times. Though the UDF won the civic body in 2015, the joy was short-lived. The Congress, the JD(U) and the CPI(M) shared the post of chairperson during this term.

In 2020, the UDF once again came to power and the post of chairman was bestowed on Mujeeb Keyamthody of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) based on an understanding that it would be handed over to the Congress after two-and-half-years.

Chairman candidate

However, the Congress remained undecided on its chairman candidate with both T.J. Isaac and P. Vinod Kumar throwing their hats in, as a result of which, Mr. Keyamthodi completed three years in the chair before stepping down in 2024. Mr. Isaac who succeeded him also stepped down recently after he was appointed DCC president, paving way to Mr. Vinod Kumar to be the “chairman for ten days.”

The UDF is confident that its welfare measures and developmental activities over the last five years could easily help it retain Kalpetta. “We have ensured free drinking water for all and made giant leaps in waste management,” Mr. Vinod Kumar, the new chairman, said.

However, the LDF is planning to capitalise on the ‘lack of unity’ within the Congress.