Local body polls | Congress ahead in number of candidates for district panchayats

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress is contesting in more divisions than the CPM in the elections to the 14 district panchayats in Kerala to be held as part of the upcoming local body polls. While the Congress which heads the United Democratic Front (UDF) has fielded its candidates in 223 divisions, the CPM - the main party in the rival Left Democratic Front (LDF) - has named its candidates in 201 divisions.

Meanwhile, the CPI has confirmed its status as the second-most important party in the LDF by contesting in 63 seats and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will be fighting in 62 divisions under the UDF banner.

At the same time, BJP would be trying its luck in over 300 seats.

Kerala Congress (M) led by Jose K Mani has also gained an upper hand over the P J Joseph faction after the breakup and shifting of loyalties from the UDF to the LDF. While the LDF has allotted 27 divisions to Jose, the UDF has given only 24 seats to Joseph.

Thiruvananthapuram

In the capital district, the Congress is contesting in 24 of the 26 divisions. Even though the LDF had allotted two seats to Janata Dal (S) in the previous elections, this time it has been given only one. The other seat is granted to LJD (Loktantrik Janata Dal), which was earlier part of UDF.

Idukki

The Congress and Kerala Congress (Joseph) have split the UDF seats in Idukki, while in the LDF the CPI would be fighting in one more division than the Kerala Congress (M).

Malappuram

The Congress and the IUML have retained the seat-sharing formula of the previous local body elections in Malappuram.

Ernakulam

The Congress will field candidates in 21 divisions; two more than last time. At the same time, the LDF has allotted two seats to Kerala Congress (M). In a curious development in the district, Janata Dal (S) refused the Karukutty division where it had contested last time and the newly-inducted LJD also took a similar decision.

Palakkad

The IUML has received one additional seat from the Congress. While the Congress had fought in 23 divisions last time, the IUML had been in the fray at four. The seat previously allotted to LJD, which switched sides, has been given to the John John faction. On the LDF side, the CPM has granted one seat from its quota of 22 to Kerala Congress (M) and retained the numbers of the other allies.

Kozhikode

UDF is supporting the RMP’s (Revolutionary Marxist Party) candidate in one seat and the IUML has increased its number from eight to 10. In the Left front, LJD has been allotted four seats, which is one less than in the last polls when it had been part of the UDF.

Kottayam

Kerala Congress (M) will contest in nine seats for the LDF in Kottayam, while the leading party CPM has reduced its quota to nine from the 13 during the 2015 elections. Meanwhile, the CPI has been allotted four seats, one less than last time.

For the UDF, the Congress will field its candidates in 14 seats, gaining three seats over the previous elections and Kerala Congress (Joseph) has been given eight divisions.

Pathanamthitta

In the district also, the Congress and Kerala Congress (Joseph) have divided the seats between them. Meanwhile, the LDF has taken back the Kozhenchery seat earlier allotted to NCP (Nationalist Congress Party).

Wayanad

In the border district also, the LDF has deprived the NCP of its seat and transferred it to INL, which did not receive any seat in 2015.

Alappuzha

The NCP has been denied a seat by the LDF in Alappuzha too, while in the UDF the Kerala Congress (Joseph) has received one division. Last time, Kerala Congress had fielded candidates in two seats.

Kollam

The UDF has granted four seats to RSP. For the LDF, both the CPM and the CPI would fight in one seat less each than in 2015.

Thrissur

By contesting in 16 seats only, compared to 19 in the previous election, the CPM has accommodated its coalition partners.

Kannur

Both the LDF and UDF have retained the seat-sharing arrangement of 2015.

Kasaragod

In the northernmost district, both CPM and INL would field their candidates in one seat less than in the previous polls. These seats have been allotted to LJD and Kerala Congress (M).