Fronts finalise president, vice-president nominees in most of Ernakulam’s coastal panchayats

A clear picture of the posts of president and vice president has emerged in most of the seven coastal grama panchayats in Ernakulam district. Grama, block and district panchayat presidents will be elected on December 27 at 10.30 am. Vice presidents will be elected at 14.30 on the same day.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Pallippuram grama panchayat, the stronghold where the Left Democratic Front (LDF) holds power [CPI(M)] Leader EK Jayan, who earlier served as standing committee chairman of Vypeen block panchayat, will take oath as president. Ramani Ajayan, who was the panchayat president in the previous term, is most likely to be appointed as vice president.

Liji Thadhevus will assume office as president in Kuzhuppilly, one of the smaller grama panchayats in Vypeen block where the United Democratic Front (UDF) wrested power from the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Congress Kuzhuppilly mandal president PJ Anirudhan and MM Pramukhan, who was earlier panchayat president, are also equally candidates to become vice-president. The candidate who misses the contest is expected to become the chairman of an important standing committee.

Edavanakkad

In Edavanakkad grama panchayat, where the LDF came to power thanks to infighting within the Congress, CPI(M) Vypeen district committee member KA Saajith is expected to be sworn in as president. The district committee had declared him the likely candidate from the beginning, an unusual move for the CPI(M). Mr. Saajith had earlier served as vice president of Vypeen block panchayat. Mini Purushothaman, wife of former MLA MK Purushothaman, is likely to be the vice-presidential candidate, but three young women ward members are also in contention.

equally balanced

In Njarakkal grama panchayat, coin toss to decide the winner has become inevitable; because UDF and LDF have eight seats each, while the only other member belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Both the fronts are not willing to form an alliance with the BJP, making the draw inevitable. As a result, since both combinations are possible, the front could be seen winning both tasks, losing both, or sharing one.

Joby Varghese is the likely presidential candidate in Nayarambalam grama panchayat, where the UDF holds power, despite facing corruption allegations during his previous tenure as vice-chairman. Scheduled Caste communities, however, are demanding consideration of senior leader and Congress mandalam president NR Gireeshan, alleging that their communities are not represented in any panchayat in Vypeen block. A female vice president may be elected from the dominant Ezhava community.

In Elamkunnapuzha grama panchayat, Benny Bernard is expected to be the presidential candidate after the party’s preferred senior leader KG Dono lost the election due to rebels. No decision has been made yet on the vice presidential candidate.

Chellanam

In the 22-member Chellanam grama panchayat, where all the 15 winning candidates are Congress members, the post of president is expected to be shared between Jessy Augustine and Ammini Joseph for two and a half years. Peter Sheen emerged as the vice presidential candidate.