The United Democratic Front (UDF) district meeting to be held on Tuesday in the wake of the front losing the Kochi Corporation, will see the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) blaming each other for the poll debacle.
While the Congress-led UDF fell short of the required number for continuing in power, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which had 34 councillors, ensured the support of two Independents, including T.K. Ashraf, the League rebel, to return to power after a hiatus of 10 years.
It was the infighting and internal issues, said a Congress leader, in the League in the West Kochi region that denied the UDF power in the corporation.
Mr. Ashraf, who wielded significant clout among voters in West Kochi, won the seat for himself, defeating both the LDF and the UDF and ensured the defeat of the UDF in at least three other seats, he said.
Realising the influence of Mr. Ashraf among the masses, several senior Congress leaders from the district had approached the State and the district leadership of the League with a request to placate him. However, the League leadership did not heed to the suggestion, for which the UDF had to pay dearly, he said.
The Congress leader said the issue would be raised in the UDF meeting.
The LDF is likely to offer the chairmanship of the health standing committee of the corporation to Mr. Ashraf, who was denied the post during the term of the previous council, despite a power-sharing agreement in the party with his fellow councillor P.M. Harris.
At the same time, League district leaders blamed it on infighting in the Congress.
While accepting that the Ashraf factor had some impact on the electoral scene, a senior League leader from the district said Congress rebels did the UDF in.
Had the Congress succeeded in quelling internal squabbles and withdrawing rebels from the scene, the UDF could have performed better in several local bodies of the district, including Kochi Corporation, he said.
The 700-plus votes, pointed out another League leader, secured by the Congress rebel in Kaloor North resulted in the LDF candidate Ashitha Yahiya winning the Kaloor North Division. UDF candidate Smrithi Harris lost the seat by a margin of 74 votes, he pointed out.
