Battle lines have been drawn for the crucial elections to the 1,199 three-tier local self-Government bodies in Kerala, considered as the full-dress rehearsal for next year’s Assembly polls, after the time for withdrawing nominations ended Saturday afternoon even as the Congress and the ruling UDF it leads were still reeling under rebel trouble in many local bodies.
The Congress and the UDF are facing trouble from candidates who have filed nominations as rebels protesting the leaderships’ refusal to grant tickets in at least eight of the total 14 districts in the State. The UDF’s Mayor candidate (Congress) himself is facing rebel trouble in Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation.
The CPI(M) and the Opposition lDF it leads are not without rebel trouble and complaints about seat denial but they have somehow been able to sort such issues out to a great extent by the time of closing of withdrawal of nominations. The BJP, which is determined to make a huge impact in this election, does not face any serious threat from rebels.
On Saturday, the Kerala PCC office itself witnessed protest by Congress workers against the denial of seat to their leader in a local village panchayat while the Congress and the Muslim league, second biggest constituent of the ruling coalition, are fighting against each other in at least 26 local bodies in Malappuram district, considered as the fortress of the latter.
The rebel trouble is so disturbing to the Congress that PCC president VM Sudheeran was forced to issue a warning that rebels who did not withdraw nominations would face disciplinary action. However, another leader diluted this a bit by saying that action would be taken only if rebels campaigned for themselves. It is yet to be seen how many rebels will react positively to this.
In Palakkad Municipality, a district committee general secretary and a State Women’s Congress leader resigned their positions protesting denial of tickets. Also, they have filed nominations as rebels. The Congress has also witnessed hilarious developments like some rebels managing to get party symbols for themselves using district party chief’s stolen letter pad.