Political surprises in the offing in upcoming civic polls to Kochi Corpn.

The upcoming civic polls to the Kochi Corporation will see political surprises with a few prominent leaders fielding themselves as candidates from the opposite political camps.

V.P. Chandran, a former Thrikkakara area committee member of the CPI(M) and its Parliamentary Party secretary in the Corporation council five years ago, will be the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate from the Vyttila division. A.B. Sabu, former District Congress Committee member, who severed his links with the Congress and is now associated with the CPI(M), will be the party candidate here.

K.J. Antony, a former Leader of the Opposition in the Kochi Corporation Council and the Kochi area committee of the CPI(M), will contest as an Independent candidate from the Nazareth division. Both Mr. Chandran and Mr. Antony will contest the election as UDF-backed Independent candidates.

M.B. Muralidharan, a three-term Congress councillor, who had joined the CPI(M) a couple of years ago, will be the party’s candidate from the Vennala division. The Congress leadership is in the process of finalising its candidate in the division to take on its former leader.

T.K. Asharaf and P.M. Harris, who were earlier colleagues in the Indian Union Muslim League, will contest from the Kaloor North division. Mr. Asharaf, who won the civic poll last time as a rebel candidate, had returned to the party fold a few months ago. Mr. Haris, a former State working committee member of the League, had left the organisation two years ago to join the CPI(M). While Mr. Asharaf will contest the election in the party symbol ‘ladder’, Mr. Harris will contest the election in the party symbol ‘hammer, sickle, and star’.

Sunitha Dixon, the works standing committee chairperson of the Kochi Corporation, who had won the Vyttila division as both Congress and RSP(B) candidate twice, joined the BJP the other day. She is likely to contest from the Ponnurunni division.

Family members of a few former councillors are also in the fray this time. Shiras Bava, grandson of K.M. Hamsakunju, former Deputy Speaker and Kochi Mayor, and Mary Sharon, wife of outgoing councillor J. Sanilmon, will contest the election from the UDF panel.

The political fronts are expected to announce their list in a couple of days.