Congress to contest 45 seats in Kozhikode corporation

KOZHIKODE: Utter confusion prevailed in the selection of Congress candidates for the city corporation here, as the party leadership kept on revising the list every one hour.
Congress is contesting 45 seats while the IUML 22 wards. Janata Dal (U) is fighting from five, CMP 2 and Kerala Congress 1. IUML leaders M K Muneer and P K K Bava had announced its 22 candidates on Sunday that includes four independent candidates.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) member P V Gangadharan, whose name figured in the initial list, has been dropped from the final list, it is learnt. As per the earlier plan, Gangadharan was to contest from Mankavi ward. Similarly, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) joint secretary K Jayanth, who was to contest from Meenchanda, backed out in the last minute.
A section of Congress workers protested against the candidature of Gangadharan and Jayanth as both are the members of the candidates’ selection committee formed by the party.
KPCC secretary P M Suresh Babu and KPCC executive member and Calicut University Syndicate member P M Niyaz are included in the final list. K C Shobitha, daughter of district Congress committee president K C Abu, (Malaparamba) Vidya Balakrishnan (Chevayoor) and Mahila Congress district president Usha Devi (Palayam) are among the sitting members who are contesting again. A consensus was reached following a marathon discussion led by M K Raghavan, MP, K C Abu, KPCC general secretary T Siddiq and K P Anil Kumar. Youth Congress workers staged a protest at the venue of the discussion protesting against inadequate representation of youngsters despite direction from the KPCC in this regard.
Suresh Babu is contesting from Paroppadi, Niyaz from Chalppuram and DCC general secretary K V Subramanian from the Pottammal ward. Suresh Babu is being considered the front-runner to the mayor’s post. His name was unilaterally announced by the Congress leadership, but Babu had declined to contest. It is learnt that he finally buckled under pressure from the KPCC leadership. Another KPCC secretary and former minister P Sankaran also had refused to contest.
Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will inaugurate the election rally of the LDF at Muthalakkulam in Wednesday. He will also release the election manifesto of the LDF at the function. LDF leaders Sathyan Mokeri, A K Saseendran, MLA, C K Nanu, MLA, Babu Gopinath and M V Rajesh will participate.
local body elections