Thiruvananthapuram: In opposition in Kerala for almost a decade, the state Congress unit has launched an early campaign for the upcoming local body polls in several cities, including capital Thiruvananthapuram, even before the dates have been declared.
The party declared the names of over 60 candidates, a mix of both youngsters and senior leaders, for the Thiruvananthapuram municipal corporation this week, projecting former MLA K.S. Sabarinadhan as its mayoral candidate.
An MBA graduate, Sabarinadhan represented the Aruvikkara constituency from 2015 to 2021. He is also the current general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
The party has also declared over 10 candidates for the neighbouring Kollam corporation, unlike rivals LDF and BJP, who are still finalising their candidates.
Congress’ electioneering in Thiruvananthapuram is directly overseen by senior leader K. Muraleedharan while Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan is in charge of Ernakulam and working committee member Ramesh Chennithala of Kozhikode.
While Sabarinadhan began his door-to-door campaign Wednesday, Muraleedharan is leading the Janakeeya Vicharana Yatra (People’s Trial March) across Thiruvananthapuram’s 101 wards between 3 and 12 November.
Kerala has 1,200 local self-governing bodies, 21,893 wards, 941 village panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 87 municipalities, and six corporations.
Of these, the LDF won 514 village panchayats, 108 block panchayats, 11 district panchayats, and five municipal corporations in the 2020 local body elections. In the 2021 assembly polls, the LDF won 99 of 140 constituencies.
For a possible comeback in the assembly, winning the local body polls is crucial for the Congress. While the CPI(M)-led LDF government is banking on its developmental initiatives and welfare measures, the Congress is wary of the growing BJP presence in the state, especially in pockets, including Thiruvananthapuram, where the party secured the second position in the Lok Sabha polls last year.
Several party leaders ThePrint spoke to said that announcing and starting the campaign early would generate a positive feeling in favour of the party among voters.
“We are taking this election very seriously, that’s why senior leaders are directly in charge. Early candidate announcement, without any rumblings, shows our planning,” KPCC general secretary Sandeep Warrier said.
He added that inflation in Kerala was the highest in the country, and the government also charged high taxes, which would become the Congress’s focus areas for campaign.
A second party leader said the Congress, by declaring candidates early, would create a perception among the public about its vision, as it’s mostly considered a party marred by infighting.
“We were able to generate a feeling that we are really serious about this election. K.S. Sabarinadhan is an assembly candidate. When we are fielding him, and with the candidate list so far having a mix of senior candidates as well as young faces, it sends a strong message,” he said.
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‘Plan to rejuvenate’
Early Wednesday, nearly a dozen Congress functionaries, along with mayoral candidate Sabarinadhan, set out to meet the city’s voters before they left their homes for work in Thiruvananthapuram’s Kowdiar and nearby areas. The visits involved talking to families, recalling old acquaintances, and even taking selfies with youngsters.
“Don’t forget to tag me while posting it on Instagram,” Sabarinadhan told a voter after a selfie.
At a nearby house, the discussion with a young voter, who was wearing a T-shirt of the Argentinian football team, turned to Lionel Messi’s expected visit to Kerala.
Speaking to ThePrint, Sabarinadhan said the Thiruvananthapuram corporation was unable to make any significant impact on development and infrastructure, except for launching a few small projects. He added that there had been no resolution to issues of sewage and basic infrastructure.
“We are envisioning a future Trivandrum where everybody can live in harmony. People know me here. The party understood that I will utilise my political and legislative experience here and fielded me,” he said, adding that the Congress has a plan for the local body polls across Kerala and that it will overcome its shortcomings to fight the ruling LDF and BJP.
While work in Thiruvananthapuram is moving ahead, party leaders in the northern districts said discussions on the local polls are yet to begin.
Requesting anonymity, one leader said the party’s grassroots work needed revitalisation and a push. He added that the relationship between the IUML (Indian Union Muslim League) and Congress was strong this year, unlike previous times, and that discussions regarding candidates were ongoing.
“The party was not able to maintain the momentum it got on many issues. It only stayed for a couple of days,” he said.
Another Congress leader said that though the party doesn’t have a cadre system, it has functionaries who will rise to the occasion.
“It’s true that the morale of party workers has reduced since we have been in opposition for the past 10 years. But the model we have adopted in Trivandrum will rejuvenate the party,” the leader said.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)