Thiruvananthapuram: Five districts in the state will go to the polls tomorrow in the first phase of local body elections. The first phase of elections will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, and Idukki districts. All preparations have been completed for the vote to meet the Covid norms. 88 lakh people will go to the polls to exercise their right to vote. The election campaign ended yesterday. Today is a silent campaign. The campaign ended without a ‘Kottikkalasam’ (campaign ending function) as the Covid crisis persisted.
In the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, there is a fierce struggle between the three fronts. However, in the Thiruvananthapuram District Panchayat, it is a direct link between the LDF and the UDF. The LDF has been actively campaigning for the retention of the holding corporation, four municipalities, and the district panchayat. The UDF campaign was aimed at gaining power in the district, block, and gram panchayats. The BJP has high hopes for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and the 15-gram panchayats in the district.
In Kollam district, the announcement of candidates could be completed at first, but the insurgency is a headache for the UDF. It remains to be seen whether the LDF will be able to maintain its resounding victory in the last election. Problems between the CPM and the CPI are troubling the Front in Kollam.
It is also being looked into whether the Kerala Congress Jose K. Mani faction, which joined the Left Front, will prove its strength in Pathanamthitta and Idukki. This is crucial for the Jose faction as it is the first election since the LDF’s entry. At the same time, the victory of the Joseph faction of the Kerala Congress is a matter of pride for the UDF. In most parts of Alappuzha, it is a direct battle between the LDF and the UDF.
