Mattannur municipality is going to the polls on Tuesday to elect a 35-member council. The civic body has been dominated by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) ever since the first election in 1997 after it was upgraded from a panchayat to a municipality.
The municipal area witnessed a high-pitched campaign by the LDF and the rival United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance over the past several days. Developmental issues were the major campaign themes as the municipality is expected to witness accelerated development with the Kannur International Airport coming up in the area.
A total of 112 candidates are in the fray as the election is being held in 35 wards in the municipality. While the LDF and the UDF are contesting in all the 35 wards and the BJP has fielded its candidates in 32 wards. The Social Democratic Party of India has also fielded its candidates in a few seats. The post of chairperson of the municipality this time is reserved for women.
“We will continue our winning streak in the municipality and pocket 31 seats,” said CPI leader and LDF election committee chairman C. Vijayan. It was the then LDF government that upgraded Mattannur into a municipality in 1990, which was then reverted back to a panchayat by the UDF government in 1991, and then again upgraded to a municipality by the LDF government in 1997, he said adding that the developmental activities being carried out by the LDF-ruled municipality over the past two decades will stand the front in good stead in this election too.
Congress Mattannur mandalam president A. Damodaram, however, said that the municipal areas lacked basic amenities such as public toilets and playgrounds. The municipality with a rural face is still devoid good roads in its interiors, he said adding that the electorate in the municipality wants a change.
The BJP is also pinning its hope on the civic body this time. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha State vice president and election committee general convener Biju Elakuzhi said that the party will open its account in the municipal council. The party hopes to offer good performance in six wards.
Polling arrangements are already under way in 35 polling booths. Webcasting would be done in all the booths. Votes would be counted at the Mattannur Higher Secondary School in the morning on August 10.