Llf Kaloor South candidate Kv Manoj met voters in the division on Friday. | Photo credit: Thulasi Kakkat
The three-time Left Democratic Front (LDF) councilor and two-time United Democratic Front (UDF) councilor are locked in a head-to-head fight in Kochi Corporation’s Kaloor South division, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had to scramble for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Bharatiya Janaot seat, Jana BD originally at the eleventh hour after the Dharma Senate (Bharata Dharma). returned when no candidate could be found.
There is a tight contest in this heartland division as both KV Manoj and MG Aristoteles are seasoned campaigners representing the CPI(M) and Congress respectively. A CPI(M) district committeeman and CITU state committee member, Mr. Manoj secured two consecutive victories in the division between 2000 and 2010, followed by another victory in Ponnurunni East division in 2015.
Mr. Aristotle registered his first victory from Kaloor South in 2015. After serving as UDF Parliamentary Party Secretary in the recently defunct council, he shifted to Kathrikadavu division in 2020 after Kaloor South was reserved for women. Now he returned as Kathrikadavu was reserved for women this time. AB Anilkumar is running as a BJP candidate.
“I have strong ties in the division, I have represented it before. I feel a friendly atmosphere during the campaign. Though Manoj poses a tough challenge, he has been away from the electoral arena for more than a decade and that rust will show, not to mention the setbacks he has faced in the party during this period,” says Mr Aristotle.
UDF candidate MG Aristoteles is campaigning in the division. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
But Mr. Manoj couldn’t disagree more. He dismisses the competition as lost and says he is confident of an “easy transition”. “The division still only has development projects implemented during my ten-year tenure, whether it is the Vyloppilly Cultural Center or the bridge along the Vyloppilly Lane-Stadium link, which has become one of the routes most used by motorists,” he claims.
Mr Aristotle disputes these claims and points out that the LDF, which has held power in the corporation for the past five years, has yet to find a permanent solution to waste management. He points out that the proposed compressed biogas plant at Brahmapuram is yet to be commissioned and criticizes the collection of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste under arms as erratic and lacking a proper schedule.
Meanwhile, Mr Anilkumar, who is trailing two others in the campaign after being thrust into the fray at the last minute, remains confident and says he has a foothold in the BJP’s solid base of traditional votes in the division.
Pollution BJP AB Humanits ags agage. | Photo Court: THANS KAKAS
The delimitation exercise slightly reduced the size of the division, although it retains more than 90% of its original geographical area with nearly 5,500 voters in total. The division usually records a voter turnout of around 65%.
As it stands, the competition in this division is likely to be nothing more than an easy transition for whoever emerges victorious. In 2020, Congress councilor Rajani Mani was declared the winner by coin toss after she tied the votes with CPI(M) candidate Seena Babu.
Published – 21 Nov 2025 20:13 IST
