Kannur: After a six-month-long political bargaining, when Congress rebel P.K. Ragesh finally kicked out, it was an unexpected bonus for the LDF. Mr Ragesh, who claims a strong support base in Kannur and Azhikode, has already declared himself as a candidate in Azhikode and one of his supporters in Kannur.
In Azhikode, UDF's margin in the last election was just 493 votes and in Kannur, it was 6,443. As a small number of votes is crucial in these constituencies where neck-and-neck fight is taking place, the LDF is calculating that his presence will help scatter votes against them.
His suspension is not an issue for just the Congress. The Muslim League may well lose the deputy mayor post in Kannur Corporation if the LDF brings no-confidence motion with his support. It was an unexpected victory for the CPM when they got the first ever mayor of the newly created corporation after he cast his vote in favour of E.P. Latha.
However, he voted for the UDF in the elections of deputy mayor and various standing committee heads. Since then, he was raising various demands including the deputy mayor post and positions in the party.
However, the Congress leadership feels that he cannot influence the voters during assembly elections as his followers have been reduced during the last few months. A section of party rebels left his hold and came back to the party just before the official announcement of his suspension.
