Rebel threat dogs both fronts

KOCHI: As the deadline for filing nominations to civic polls ended on Wednesday the large number of rebel candidates contesting for the Kochi Corporation turned out to be a major headache for the Congress-led United Democratic Front.

Although most Congress leaders expressed the optimism that they will be able to persuade the rebels before date for withdrawal many of the UDF candidates are in jittery over the rebel presence.             

A senior UDF leader admitted that both in district panchayat and City Corporation there are several rebel candidates, though none of them are heavyweights.

“Senior party leaders including MLAs and even ministers are engaged in all efforts to persuade rebels to withdraw nominations. A clear picture will be emerged after October 17, the last date for withdrawal of nominations,” he said.

A prominent sitting councillor of the Congress in the City Corporation Sunitha Dixon from Vyttila division has resigned from the party and filed nomination as independent candidate.

“I will not withdraw nomination at any cost. It is after 33 years that a UDF candidate could win the Vyttila division in 2010. The development works should have continuity and the seat can’t be lost,” she told DC.

Apart from Vyttila, rebel Congress candidates are contesting in Konthuruthy, Mamangalam, Ayyappankavu and some other west Kochi divisions. Sources said that the UDF is facing rebel menace in at least 20 divisions in the city corporations.     

The problem is not confined to Kochi Corporation alone. In Kalamassery, works committee chairperson and prominent Congress councillor Valsamma Rajan has resigned from the party and contesting in BJP ticket against Rukhia Jamal of the Congress.

She resigned from the party in protest against the alleged autocratic approach of the incumbent municipal chairman Jamal Manakkadan.

In Eloor municipality former health standing committee chairperson Agnus Joseph has resigned from the UDF and contesting as rebel. She served as panchayat president of Eloor earlier.

In other neighbouring municipalities like Thrikkakkara, Tripunithura and Aluva are also facing rebel menace. Compared to the LDF, the number of rebels is more in the UDF.

Even District Congress Committee office bearers are in the fray as rebels, sources said. A Congress leader confided that many persons posing as rebels with the intention of making some quick money by threatening to spoil the chances of the genuine candidates.

Last-minute rush to file papers

On the last day of filing nominations on Wednesday, it was a hectic day for the returning officers and candidates. Most of the UDF candidates including prominent leaders and sitting councillors filed nomination papers before returning officers during the day.

District collector M. G. Rajamanickam who is the returning officer of district panchayat poll received 182 nominations for the 27 divisions when the time for filing nominations ended at 3 pm on Wednesday.

Though a few candidates reported after 3 pm, they were not allowed to file nominations. Only those who have given tokens before the deadline were allowed to submit papers.

Corporation works committee chairperson Soumini Jain and development committee chairman T. J. Vinod and other sitting councillors of the Congress like Leno Jacob, M. B. Muraleedharan, K. R. Prem Kumar and Gracy Joseph filed nominations on Wednesday.

The party's senior leaders including A. B. Sabu, Deepthi Mary Varghese and Grace Babu Jacob also submitted nominations on the last day.

Soumini Jain contesting from Elamkulam division and Grace Babu Jacob from Ernakulam North division are the possible names to be considered by the UDF for the mayoral post.

Town planning committee chairman K. J. Sohan of the Janata Dal (United) and health committee chairman T. K. Ashraf of the Muslim League also filed nominations from Nasrath and Mattancherry divisions, respectively.

As the BJP was late to announce its second list of candidates, the party's senior leaders including state vice-president and sitting councilor, Syamala S. Prabhu, could file the nomination only on the last day.

She is again seeking the people's mandate from Cheralayi division. Adv P. J. Thomas, BJP district president, filed nomination from Panampilly Nagar.
Meanwhile, most of the LDF candidates filed nominations on Tuesday itself.