LDF hopes to wrest municipality which it lost in 2010
R.S. Ravishankar, UDF chief whip
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF, which ruled Neyyatinkara for 35 years from 1975, lost it to the UDF in 2010. But it hopes to make a strong comeback as its rivals are haunted by the rebel menace.
The UDF’s former municipal chairman S.S. Jayakumar, who had to face the music from KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran for permitting a new bar at Neyyatinkara, has turned a rebel and fielded seven independent candidates.
The Congress faces friendly fights in two wards as the Muslim League and the RSP have fielded candidates in each of these wards. The UDF has no official candidate in ward 2 where a strong rebel contests.
Interestingly, the UDF track record at Neyyatinkara, one of the oldest municipalities of south Kerala, sounds good on paper as it is among a handful of urban civic bodies to spend over 95 per cent of plan funds for developmental purpose.
However, LDF leaders say that apart from managing day-to-day expenses, no big project could be implemented by their rivals. “The municipality has celebrated its 100th anniversary and in spite of having a UDF MLA (R. Selvaraj) and the state government on their side, they could not get any special funds on such a special occasion,” says CPM’s chief election organiser Anselan.
A much-hyped crematorium project had to be halted after a lawsuit from a section of citizens. The failure to start garbage disposal plans at markets like Aralumoodu is being raised as an election issue by the LDF.
However, the municipality’s UDF chief whip R.S. Ravishankar claims that the individual works of his councillors in the respective wards are good enough to allow the UDF to retain power.
“Only a few municipalities like Kottakkal have succeeded in utilising the funds so well. Unlike other places in Thiruvananthapuram, streetlights are in perfect condition in every nook and corner of the municipality,” Mr Ravishankar said.
The LDF accepts this but claims that the UDF has only continued the good precedence it had set by effectively using retired KSEB officials for periodic maintenance.
As per Mr Jayakumar , rebel candidates, including himself, who are contesting on the ‘book’ symbol instead of their usual ‘hand’ are optimistic as personal relations are a decisive factor in Neyyatinkara. The Nair and Nadar votes also play a vital role in the fray for the southernmost municipality of the state.
In 2010, the UDF had bagged 24 seats while the LDF got 20. Each of the 44 wards has only between 1,000 and 1,500 voters.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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