In less than a fortnight, Ramanattukara will go to the polls a second time after it became a municipality.
The local body, which takes pride in the State level recognition of being the best in fund utilisation, was ruled by the Left Democratic Front in the first innings. The civic body had made a mark in the State, despite the initial glitches of transformation from a grama panchayat to a municipality.
The LDF had snatched the power from UDF, which was ruling the Ramanattukara grama panchayat previously, in a close fight, with a lead of just two seats. In the five years since, the LDF-led ruling body claims to have completed 90% of the promises made during the last poll.
Among the developmental projects highlighted by the LDF are a drinking water project, which is in the final stages of completion and expected to ensure supply of drinking water in all houses in the town. The town revitalisation project revived by the municipal council after the dismantling of the Calicut Development Authority, which was its previous implementing agency, and the accolades received by the Primary Health Centre in the municipality are also pointed out as the LDF’s achievements. The implementation of the Vayomithram project that ensures free medical aid to elderly citizens and the project for a new municipal office building are the other projects highlighted projects.
Vazhayil Balakrishnan, Municipal Chairman, said that a playground and crematorium, which were part of the earlier election manifesto, could not be realised and that those projects could be executed in a second term. However, the opposition says that many of the council’s developmental projects were left halfway. “The drinking water project should have been completed at least a year ago. What works could have been finished in a month is being prolonged indefinitely due to the lack of interest of the Chairman,” said K.P. Abdussamad, IUML councillor and development standing committee chairman of the municipality. He also alleged that the council had a huge debt incurred due to carelessness and lack of intervention at the right time.
Both the fronts have fielded a rather new set of candidates this time, with only a few sitting councillors vying for the seats. Both fronts boast of having a young brigade to take their legacy forward.
