In Thrikkakara municipality—a United Democratic Entrance (UDF) stronghold since its days as a panchayat—the Congress is usually its personal worst enemy.
Within the three elections because it was elevated right into a municipality, the Congress-led UDF has emerged as the one largest entrance however has not often loved a easy tenure, besides in 2010 when it secured a easy majority. In 2015, the UDF gained 21 seats in opposition to the Left Democratic Entrance’s (LDF) 20 within the 43-member council. Nonetheless, it may stay in energy for less than a couple of 12 months because the LDF managed to grab management with the assist of two Independents, who had been Congress rebels, and later by persuading UDF councillor Sheela Charu to defect, although she was subsequently disqualified.
Within the outgoing council, regardless of missing a transparent majority, the UDF managed to remain in energy for the complete time period by securing majority with the assist of Independents, all of whom had contested as Congress rebels. Nonetheless, inside strife plagued the Congress and its sole ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Ajitha Thankappan of the ‘I’ group, who was appointed chairperson for the primary half of the time period as per an intra-party settlement, initially refused to step down for Radhamani Pillai of the ‘A’ group for the latter half. The District Congress Committee needed to step in with threats of disciplinary motion to make sure compliance. Ms. Thankappan’s tenure was marred by the ‘Onam present’ scandal, during which councillors had been allegedly given ₹10,000 every in money, resulting in a probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. Later, IUML’s vice-chairperson AA Ibrahimkutty was ousted after three of his occasion members strategically voted in opposition to him in a no-confidence movement moved by the LDF.
Amid these setbacks, the UDF scored a politically vital victory when its candidate Uma Thomas gained the 2022 Thrikkakara Meeting byelection with a thumping majority of 25,016 votes and a vote share of 53.76%, defeating LDF’s Jo Joseph. The election adopted the dying of Ms. Thomas’s husband and sitting MLA PT Thomas. The end result was chastising for the LDF, which had mounted a high-profile marketing campaign led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Hibi Eden, the UDF candidate for the Ernakulam Lok Sabba constituency, which incorporates Thrikkakara municipality, strengthened that momentum within the common election held two years later, securing a lead of round 15,000 votes within the municipality alone.
Squabbles in LDF
Issues are removed from easy within the LDF camp forward of the upcoming election. Seat-sharing talks have come to standstill resulting from a dispute between the Communist Get together of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the Communist Get together of India (CPI) over two wards. Whereas the CPI claims dominance in these newly delimited wards, CPI(M) insists on contesting primarily based on winnability.
In the meantime, the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) plans to contest all seats although it stays a fringe participant within the municipality, having by no means gained a single seat. Twenty20, an outfit backed up Kitex Group, is planning to area candidates in all wards.
Revealed – November 11, 2025 06:51 pm IST