Kerala local body elections: Big promises, bigger dreams
KOCHI: keralas local body elections have traditionally centered on the basics roads, drains, streetlights and waste management. But this time, the three major fronts the CPM-led LDF, Congress-led UDF and BJP-led NDA have released manifestos that read less like routine civic checklists and more like ambitious blueprints for parallel futures. If polls were a contest for imagining the most expansive version of Keralas cities, this election would easily qualify as the masterclass in political imagination. The full-fledged, multi-page poll documents for corporations and districts in particular carry a flood of promises some practical, some aspirational and some that wander into the territory of wishful planning. Growing public expectation Micro-level manifestos in local body elections mark a significant shift in Keralas political culture. While many promises may be aspirational or beyond the immediate powers of local governments, the trend itself signals a growing public expectation for accountability and decentralised decision-making. Detailed ward or city-specific pledges push parties to engage more closely with voters everyday concerns and create a record against which their performance can later be measured. In an increasingly urbanised and globally aware electorate, such granular manifestos encourage healthier debates on governance and, over time, can strengthen the relevance and responsiveness of local bodies even if the feasibility of the promises remains uneven. Im happy, said D Dhanuraj, founder-chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR). Praising the sudden surge in detailed manifestos, he said, This will help prompt more discussion on decentralised government, and the public will demand such things. He also believes that global political trends and high-profile campaigns elsewhere may be influencing Keralas political tone. He sees the trend as healthy: When you promise 100 things and dont implement even 10%, someone will question you. I see it as the next level of development as we move towards greater decentralisation. For him, the very presence of detailed manifestos marks a shift toward increased accountability. Economist Jose Sebastian, however, has a sharply different view. The manifesto is a wrong trend. Its becoming a mockery, he said. According to him, none of the fronts, regardless of ideology, explain how they plan to mobilise funds for these expansive promises. Its all tall promises without any substance. Just to create a narrative, he says. Sebastian also argues that Keralas local governments are not autonomous enough to shoulder these grand visions. They have become implementing agencies of central and state schemes. If they had focused on their own resource mobilisation, we wouldnt be in this situation. With the first phase of polling over on Tuesday and the second set for Thursday, the electorate has already begun casting its verdict on these big-ticket manifestos. Saturdays results will reveal which promises resonated, and which remained on paper. OLYMPICS IN TPURAM & METRO TO COIMBATORE? Leading the pack in audacity is the BJP. Its manifesto for the Thiruvananthapuram corporation promises to prepare the capital to serve as one of the venues for the 2036 Olympics. The host city is still undecided, and Ahmedabad is widely tipped as Indias official bidder, but the NDA is confident Thiruvananthapuram can aim high. If that wasnt bold enough, the party has also promised to extend the Kochi Metro all the way to Coimbatore a proposal that would involve overcoming the trifecta of funding challenges, inter-state coordination and monumental infrastructure planning. Alongside these headline-grabbing pledges, the party has also offered more grounded commitments: a Surat-inspired drainage system, Indore-style waste management, and centrally-monitored street lighting. A FULLY SMART KOCHI The Congress-led UDF has filled its Kochi corporation manifesto with everyday urban concerns: garbage, mosquitoes, traffic jams, stray dogs and public health. Its major pitch is a Zero Waste Kochi project aimed at resolving the long-standing issues surrounding the Brahmapuram waste plant. The manifesto also promises to turn Kochi into South Indias first total smart city, a vision based on efficient mobility, digital governance and better civic services. The list of promises is sweeping: garbage-free streets, mosquito control, smoother traffic and a crackdown on drug lobbies. If executed, it would address many chronic complaints of Kochis residents. However, whether these proposals survive the constraints of local body finances remains unclear. INFRA-HEAVY AGENDAS FOR KOCHI, U.N. GOALS ROADMAP FOR KOZHIKODE The CPM-led LDF has released detailed manifestos for multiple corporations. In Kochi, its focus is on practical improvements: canal rejuvenation, systematic road cleaning, value-added waste products, and EVs for the Haritha Karma Sena. It also proposes an electric bus network with KSRTC, renovation of key bus stands and new mobility solutions like multi-level parking and bike sharing. In Kozhikode, the LDF has gone a step further. Its manifesto states the corporation will work to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2031 if the front returns to power. The document outlines a sweeping development agenda: Transforming Kozhikode into an IT hub; implementing a light metro project; continuing the City Road Improvement Project; building new roads and infrastructure; and constructing a flyover at Eranhipalam. LDF, which has governed Kozhikode for over 45 years, attributes its long run to timely implementation of development projects, an argument it hopes will resonate again.
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