UDF announces Sabarinadhan as Mayor candidate in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, BJP remains undecided

Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the single largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, continued to maintain suspense regarding its Mayor candidate, the United Democratic Front (UDF) on Wednesday declared K.S. Sabarinadhan as its candidate. The former Congress MLA had won by a narrow margin from the Kowdiar ward in the recently conducted local body elections. ‘

The UDF will also field Mary Pushpam, who has served as a councillor in the past few terms, for the Deputy Mayor post. The front had put up an improved showing this time around, winning 19 seats, as it reversed the downward trend witnessed in the previous two elections. However, the Mayoral fight will be largely symbolic considering the numbers in the 101-member council.

Two days ago, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had decided to field R.P. Sivaji, long-time councillor and Vilappil area secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), for the Mayor post. The LDF’s tally of seats had fallen from 51 seats in 2020 to 29 seats this year. However, the BJP’s inability to get a majority appears to have led the front to contest the Mayor election.

The BJP, which held a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, appeared to be unsure about announcing its candidate even two days ahead of the Mayor election on Friday. Former district president V.V. Rajesh, three-time councillor Karamana Ajith and R. Sreelekha, former Director General of Police, are in contention.

Despite scoring a historic victory at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the local body elections, the BJP has still fallen one seat short of the required majority number of 51 in the 101-member council. The two Independent candidates who won in the Kannammoola and Poundkadavu wards have kept their options open.