KOLLAM: Infighting in the Kollam DCC has apparently led to the pathetic failure of its candidates, helping the BJP make inroads into Congress bastions.
Workers say the district leadership failed to coordinate the campaigning after allotting seats in a partisan manner. They were absent at the grassroots campaigning and it led to a humiliating defeat.
Of the two BJP candidates who made it to the Corporation, one was from KPCC executive member Sooraj Ravi's division. He was beaten by BJP candidate Kokila S. Kumar in Thevally.
An INTUC national leader tasted bitter defeat in Kannimel division by a margin of over 1,000 votes. Party candidates also failed in all the five divisions under its Kadappakkada mandalam committee. Mayor probable A.K. Hafees scraped through while A.Mu raleekrishnan failed in its sitting seat of Mulankadakom by just 10 votes.
Other major candidates like S. Sreekumar who was the president of the permanent council of the Corporation and Ansar Azeez, another mayor probable, also bit the dust.
The factional feud between ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups reflected in the selection of candidates.
The DCC president also faces criticism from the ‘I’ group for giving more seats to the ‘A’ than they “deserved”. They also blame the president for eyeing a seat for his son in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Workers “warned,” the leadership not to give seats to the RSP generously but to no avail. There are allegations that the IUML was behind the failure of Congress candidates like Ansar Azeez.
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