Despite securing a resounding victory in the Erumely panchayat after a gap of 15 years, the United Democratic Front (UDF) finds itself in an unusual predicament, forced to wait for a move from its rivals to form the ruling council.
The Congress-led coalition has won 14 of the 24 wards in the local body, while the rival Left Democratic Front (LDF), which controlled the panchayat in the previous term, has managed to win only seven seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured two seats while the remaining seat has gone to an Independent.
On paper, the mandate is crystal clear. On the ground, however, the reality is far more complicated. The post of panchayat president has been reserved for a Scheduled Caste (SC) member, and no one from the UDF’s elected panel is from the community.
This anomaly has handed the initiative to its rivals. Both the LDF and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have one SC member each, allowing them to make a legitimate claim to the presidency despite lacking majority support.
“We have no option but to wait for the LDF to stake its claim to the president’s post. The possibility of persuading one of our elected members to resign and then fielding a SC candidate in the resulting byelection is also being explored,” said Salim P.A., a senior Congress leader. He alleged that the LDF and the NDA had tacitly joined hands to ensure the defeat of the two SC candidates fielded by the UDF, thereby creating the current uncertainty.
Risky manoeuvre
“It may take time, but we are confident of eventually taking control of the panchayat. However, convincing an elected member to resign and securing the election of an SC candidate is a risky manoeuvre that will require considerable effort and time,” the leader added.
Erumely, however, is not an isolated case. Across the district, the UDF finds itself winning mandates without securing control. In Changanassery, for instance, the UDF, with 13 seats, will have to seek the support of seven Independents to form the municipal council.
In Pala too, the UDF’s fate remains uncertain, with control hinging on a family-backed group of three Independent councillors.
Published – December 14, 2025 07:54 pm IST
