It would probably be a fight between two generations of political leaders in Kochi Corporation in the upcoming civic body polls as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] may rest its aged warhorses for the younger brigade. A few senior Congress leaders too have announced their intention to contest the polls with an eye on the Kochi Mayor post.
Currently, managers of both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are busy engaged in pre-poll discussions with coalition partners.
The CPI(M), which is leading the Left coalition, is likely to formally begin the process of candidate selection by next week, though the party leadership has informally sounded probable candidates about the political task ahead.
Though the name of C.M. Dinesh Mani, former Kochi Mayor and legislator from Palluruthy, was doing the rounds as the party candidate from Chakkaraparambu division, sources close to him denied such developments.
If the party decides to pick a leader with organisational skills and administrative experience alike, the mantle may fall on C.K. Manisankar, former Deputy Mayor and trade union leader.
Young leadership
At the same time, a school of thought that youngsters should lead the party’s campaign this time is gaining currency among the party leadership and rank and file. In that case, the CPI(M) may choose M. Anilkumar, former chairman of the Town Planning Standing Committee, as its Mayoral candidate.
“The CPI(M) has not begun the process of candidate selection. A call on who all from the district secretariat, the key decision-making unit of the party in the district, will contest shall be taken shortly,” sources said.
UDF probables
In the UDF camp, senior congress leader N. Venugopal, the ‘I’ faction leader, who lost out to his party colleague Tony Chammany in the Mayoral selection a decade ago, is once again making an attempt to stake his claim for the top post.
Mr. Venugopal, who has made his intentions to contest the election known to his party leaders and well-wishers, may choose either Vathuruthy or Island divisions to contest. He had successfully represented both the divisions in the council earlier.
M.B. Muralidharan, the three-term councillor and a staunch ‘A’ group leader from Vennala, may emerge as a contender for the top post as the representative of the faction. Mr. Muralidharan may contest from the Padivattom division of the corporation, which he had represented earlier.
A clear picture on the line-up of candidates would emerge by the second week of the month when the political fronts complete the seat-sharing process among coalition partners.
