Kerala civic polls: BJP, LDF and UDF leaders exude confidence

Union Minister Suresh Gopi

Thrissur (Kerala) |Political fronts in Kerala — the NDA, LDF, and UDF — have intensified preparations for the upcoming local body elections with each expressing confidence of a strong performance, while levelling charges against their rivals.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that the LDF and the party's state committee have finalised candidates for almost all local bodies.

"The Left Front will contest the elections with full energy and will return to power with a stronger mandate. All necessary preparations are underway," he said.

Reacting to Congress's earlier announcement of its candidates, Govindan said the UDF faces unresolved internal issues.

"We have no such internal problems. We will field highly capable candidates in all wards and are confident of victory. The BJP and Congress may contest, but ultimately the victory will be ours," he said.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the civic polls present an opportunity to bring change in Kerala's political culture.

"Kerala people are eager for a change. They should see this as a chance to build developed corporations, municipalities and panchayats. People have realised what the LDF and UDF, which ruled civic bodies over the years, have done," he said.

Chandrasekhar said the BJP has already announced its candidate list for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and will release the remaining lists within two or three days.

"The BJP is entering the polls with the promise of resolving all long-pending issues if given a chance to govern. We will ensure corruption-free administration and prioritise issues like waste management, street lighting, roads and health," he said.

He added that BJP candidates are ready to serve people wholeheartedly and that the party will begin full-fledged campaigning from Monday.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said the Congress-led UDF has already taken the lead in campaigning.

He said the elections would be an opportunity to expose the state government's failures over the past 9.5 years.

"The financial situation of Kerala is in its most pathetic condition in history. The government is borrowing from sources even it doesn't seem to know," he alleged.

Satheesan also criticised the government for failing to control inflation.

"Kerala tops the list of states in terms of price rise. The government has done nothing to intervene in the market. Crores of rupees remain unpaid to SupplyCo, and people are struggling," he said.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph accused the government of introducing delimitation in an unscientific manner when the opposition was absent from the Assembly.

"Complaints and grievances about delimitation were heard only for a single day. The officials acted in a biased manner," he said.

He also alleged manipulation in the voters' list. "Voters in one ward were deliberately shifted to other wards. Even when such issues were raised, including in my own constituency, no corrective action was taken," he said.

Despite these issues, Joseph said the UDF is confident of a major victory, citing what he described as the state government's harsh policies towards local bodies.

"Funds to civic bodies have been reduced drastically, and we will bring these issues before the people," he said.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Suresh Gopi said that the BJP is facing a surge in public expectations ahead of the upcoming local body elections in Kerala.

LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan KPCC President Sunny Joseph

Responding to reporters about the party's preparations, Gopi said that it is not just the BJP's expectations but the people's confidence in the party that has increased significantly.

"We get a general pulse of it while travelling across various places. Wards that could not have imagined supporting us earlier are now showing a positive trend," he said.

He said Thrissur holds prominence for the BJP after his victory in the Lok Sabha election.

"To understand the pulse of Kerala, one should enquire in Thrissur. Here, we are getting a positive response," he said.

Gopi added that people have become more aware of what needs to be done for the state's development.

"Our efforts in the development campaign have reduced as people have already realised its importance," he said.

Meanwhile, LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the Left Front is ready for the upcoming polls.

"Once the seat-sharing among allies is finalised, we can announce our candidates. The list for almost all wards has already been prepared," he said.

He also dismissed any claims of secret deals with other parties.

"The LDF will not take any stance that is undemocratic or non-secular," he said.

Ramakrishnan alleged that the Welfare Party and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have ties with the Congress-led UDF. "We are against such an alliance," he added.

The Kerala State Election Commission on Monday announced that local body elections in the state will be held in two phases on December 9 and 11