Kozhikode Corporation’s Kottooli division LDF candidate S. Jayasree at the counting center in Nadakkavu after being declared the winner. Ms. Jayasree is now one of the main contenders for the mayoral post as the leading mayoral candidate, TP Musafar Ahamed lost in the polls. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
Without a clear majority in the Kozhikode corporation polls, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front, which emerged on the front lines but fell four seats short of a majority, faces an uphill task to elect a mayor and deputy mayor as the combined opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will field a stronger political front.
Party officials believe civic administration is expected to be tough, especially as decisions by standing committees, especially those on financial matters and public works, require council approval. The LDF will not be able to rule the Corporation without the support of at least a few councilors from either the UDF or the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). On the other hand, the UDF also has strong arguments to argue for the governance of the Corporation.
With the swearing-in of the new council scheduled for December 21, both the LDF and the UDF are in the hunt for a mayoral candidate as both have lost their most popular candidates. Presumptive LDF mayoral candidate CP Musafar Ahamed, the incumbent deputy mayor, lost from Meenchanda ward, while UDF mayoral candidate PM Niyas, KPCC general secretary, lost from Paroppada.
However, a day after the results were announced, the UDF and LDF are yet to decide on any names. While the talks are going on in the LDF camp, the names of current Health Standing Committee Chairman S. Jayasree, former Deputy Collector E. Anitha Kumari and current LDF Council Leader O. Sadasivan are in the air. Also UDF is considering a number of candidates like current UDF council leader KC Shobhita, CP Salim and SK Aboobakker who defeated Mr. Musafar Ahamed.
District Congress Committee (DCC) president K. Praveen Kumar told the media here on Sunday (December 14) that the front would put up a tough fight for the mayor’s post. “We will not ask for NDA’s support but we will accept if they extend it,” he said, adding that the UDF mayoral candidate would be announced on Wednesday (December 17).
Published – 14 Dec 2025 21:04 IST
