Small political outfits plan to make it big in Kerala local body polls

Smaller political organizations that are not part of Kerala’s three major coalitions – Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – are planning to make their mark in the upcoming elections for city corporations, municipalities and three-tier panchayats, where even a small number of votes can make or break a candidate’s chances of winning.

Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Welfare Party of India (WPI), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) are among the main players in this category, which are set to field their candidates in the two-phase elections scheduled to be held on December 9 and 11.

Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, started as a non-profit charitable organization backed by a major textile group in Ernakulam, rose to prominence in 2015 when Kizhakkambalam seized power in the grama panchayat. Five years later, the organization also took control of Aikkaranadu, Kunnathunadu and Mazhuvannur grama panchayats. Twenty20 is reportedly planning to compete in more grama panchayat and district panchayat divisions in Ernakulam, as well as expand its wings to include Kochi Corporation and Thrikkakkara, Maradu and Aluva municipalities. It had formed the People’s Welfare Alliance with AAP in 2022 to take up other major political fronts.

RMP, formed by CPI(M) rebel T P Chandrasekharan, rules Onchiyam and Eramala grama panchayats and has members in Chorode, Azhiyur and Mavoor grama panchayats and Vadakara block panchayat in Kozhikode district. The party also has elected representatives in Kunnamkulam municipality and Thalikkulam grama panchayat in Thrissur district. Even though RMP is not part of the UDF, the party engages with the Congress-led coalition in most places. It is also learned that the company is planning to contest more seats in Kannur, Wayanad and Ernakulam districts along with Kozhikode.

Backed by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, WPI plans to contest more than 130 seats across the state. Party functionaries said they have elected representatives from 16 grama panchayats, besides Valanchery, Kondotty and Tirurangadi municipalities and a block division in Malappuram district; five grama panchayats and municipalities of Mukkom and Koduvally in Kozhikode district; five grama panchayats and Kochi Corporation in Ernakulam district; four grama panchayats and municipalities of Palakkad, Pattambi and Cherpulassery in Palakkad district; and four grama panchayats in Kannur district. It has three grama panchayat members, one each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts and one each in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur and Wayanad districts.

SDPI, the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India, won 75 grama panchayat districts, one block panchayat district, 18 municipal districts and one Corporation division in 2020, doubling its score compared to the previous election. The party has a councilor in Kollam Corporation and representatives in municipalities like Pathanamthitta, Thiruvalla, Erattupetta, Shoranur and Vadakara.

Former LDF MLA PV Anvar reportedly convinced the AITC national leadership that he could win 200 local body seats in Kerala and influence the outcome of 20 local bodies. Negotiations are reportedly ongoing between Mr Anwar and the UDF leadership over sharing the seats.

V4Kochi, an apolitical collective founded in 2020 and garnering around 10% votes in many divisions of the Kochi Corporation, has decided not to participate in the election race this time.