Giri Nagar to see stiff triangular contest

KOCHI: Few wards in Kochi Corporation generate the kind of interest the way the Ward No 55, named Giri Nagar Ward, generates. Because it has all major elements to make a contest interesting.

The LDF candidate Monamma Kokkad is among those tipped to be Mayor if LDF sweeps to power. UDF candidate P D Martin is a DCC general secretary. He faces a Congress rebel Abraham Royi who is the husband of the sitting councilor from the seat for 10 years Suja Royi.

The BJP too has a formidable candidate Padmaja S Menon who is the daughter of the late trade unionist SCS Menon. Padmaja is also the former Kerala University Union chairman of the KSU who later excelled in journalism.

All the candidates are focusing on local issues and are confident of romping home with a comfortable margin. However, it seems the victory margin for any candidate would be narrow given the tough contest. The LDF had finished third in the election in 2010.

However, Monamma Kokkad who secured a ban on smoking in public places and was a member of State Women’s Commission and the first Lions woman district governor, is confident of tilting the scales in her favour and is raising the local issues of open drainage and lack of drainage, shortage off drinking water, water-logging etc to take her campaign to the people.

“Despite getting 10 years, the previous UDF councilor could not do anything. I am here to reverse it,” she says adding because of media focus, people have started viewing her as next Mayor.

Martin says that because of the lackluster performance of Suja that she was denied the seat. “Because of KPCC direction the spouse too was denied the seat. I promise to be in the forefront to fight for the cause of the people in the ward. These include issues of drainage, drinking water, waterlogging etc,” he said.

Padmaja asks people to give her 60 months to change their fate which both fronts could not do in the past 60 years. “Prime Minister Modi has enough projects for the local bodies and the PM is ready to pump in money also. It is a question of seizing them. She also promises to bridle and rehabilitate stray dogs. She is also banking on her contacts in the ward and has reportedly declined overdose of Hindutva.

The ward having a total of 4261 votes has a history of recording very low percentage in elections. It had polled only 2394 votes in 2010 elections. So the candidates are leaving no stone unturned to bring each voter to the polling booth.