Congress rebel redraws battle lines in Chullikkal

The Chullikkal division of the Kochi Corporation was once a United Democratic Front (UDF) stronghold until the Left Democratic Front (LDF) wrested it in 2015, after a Congress rebel contesting as an Independent spoiled the party’s chances and finished second.

The LDF retained the seat five years later. Ironically, the same candidate, Sebastian Antony, who had rebelled against the allocation of a sitting Congress seat to the Kerala Congress (M) in that election, has now been fielded as the official UDF candidate. This time, however, the UDF faces rebellion from sitting Congress councillor Bastin Babu of the neighbouring Karuvelippady division, who has resigned from the party’s primary membership and is contesting as an Independent.

LDF candidate Antony Francis during his campaigning in the division.
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THULASI KAKKAT

Antony Francis, who won from the division as an LDF-backed Independent in 2015, is also back in the fray, while K. Seauson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting as well. “The division has a solid vote base for the party, and we need not rely on the Congress rebel. Besides, I have connections beyond politics, having been active with residents’ associations, Kanivu Pain and Palliative Care, a voluntary organisation distributing free lunch to over 1,000 people daily, and an NGO for artists,” Mr. Francis said.

He proposes to restart the PSC exam coaching centre he had set up in the councillor’s office in 2015, which has since produced 18 government employees. Complete renovation of the Rameswaram Canal, the source of persistent waterlogging in the division, remains his top priority.

Mr. Antony counts being a resident in the division for 20 years as his biggest advantage and downplays the presence of a party rebel. “No one from outside the division has ever won here. The UDF’s loss in 2015 was an exception, solely due to my presence as an Independent candidate. The traditional Congress vote base, coupled with the absolute lack of development under the LDF in the last 10 years, will play in our favour. While neighbouring divisions witnessed progress, Chullikkal remained stuck in a time warp, with waterlogging a constant cause of infamy,” he said.

UDF rebel candidate Bastin Babu.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Mr. Babu claimed that he had expressed his disinclination to contest again to the District Congress Committee leadership and sought six months’ leave. “I did that for the sake of a young mandalam president of Congress in Chullikkal. But when the list of candidates was released, he was overlooked in favour of someone who had contested as a rebel against the party,” he said. Mr. Babu believes his track record as an award-winning sitting councillor, presiding over the cleanest division, will help him overcome the disadvantage of being from outside the division.

Mr. Seauson, joint secretary of the Nazareth area committee, gives himself a 50:50 chance in the largely Christian-dominated division. “We have a vote base of about 30%, while another 40% of voters are impartial and determine the outcome. Our fight is against the rebel candidate, since the LDF and UDF candidates have little acceptance among the people,” he said.

BJP’s K. Seauson during his campaign in the division.
| Photo Credit:
THULASI KAKKAT

The delimitation has slightly increased the size of the division, adding portions from neighbouring Moolamkuzhi, bringing the total electorate to over 4,500 voters.