LDF, UDF draw up independent route to win Kizhakkambalam
KOCHI: Aiming to defeat the Kitex-backed Twenty20 party, which has dominated the Kizhakkambalam panchayat for the past 10 years, both the Congress-led UDF and the CPM-led LDF have fielded independent candidates to avoid a possible splitting of votes in the upcoming local body elections. Out of the total 21 wards, the CPM has fielded a candidate only in the Choorakode ward, while the Congress has candidates in four wards Choorakode, Kanamburam, Kummanode and Kunnathukudy. BJP has also fielded candidates in four wards Pukkattupady, Kanamburam, Choorakode and Kummanode. A total of 59 independent candidates are in the fray in the panchayat. Following the move, the Twenty20 party leadership alleged that the LDF and the UDF have fielded common independent candidates to defeat the Twenty20 candidates in the panchayat. V Gopakumar, state vice-president of Twenty20, told TNIE that the workers of both CPM and Congress are working together in the panchayat. Congress and CPM party workers are campaigning for the same independent candidates. In some wards, they have a common party election office too. The aim is to defeat the Twenty20 party candidates, he said. After this years delimitation exercise, the number of wards has increased to 21. Earlier, when asked about their candidates in the panchayat, UDF and LDF leaders had denied having any understanding or tie-up between the two fronts. Between 2010 and 2015, the UDF was in power in the local body. In 2015, Twenty20 wrested the panchayat by winning 17 out of 19 wards. In 2020, the party won in 18 wards. After this years delimitation exercise, the number of wards has increased to 21. Meanwhile, the SDPI has also fielded two candidates in the panchayat. In the 2015 elections, SDPI candidate Abdul Rahman had won from the Kavanguparambu ward. The Twenty20 party, launched in 2013 with a medical camp in the area, gained public support through a series of development and welfare initiatives in Kizhakkambalam. Gopakumar added that UDF and LDF have candidates in the other three Twenty20-ruled panchayats Aikkaranad, Mazhuvannoor and Kunnathunad.
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