UDF candidate Sebastian Antony from Chullikkal division during his campaign on Thursday. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The Chullikkal division of the Kochi Corporation was once a stronghold of the United Democratic Front (UDF) until it was wrested by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) 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 rebelled against the allotment of a Congress seat to the Kerala Congress (M) in this election, has now been fielded as the official UDF candidate. This time, however, the UDF is facing a rebellion from sitting Congress councilor Bastin Babu from the neighboring Karuvelippady division, who has resigned from the party’s primary membership and is contesting as an independent.
LDF candidate Antony Francis during his campaign in the division. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Antony Francis, who won the division in 2015 as an LDF-backed Independent, is also back in the fray, while K. Season of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also contesting. “The division has a solid voter base for the party and we don’t have to rely on a Congress rebel. Besides, I have contacts outside politics as I have been active with residents’ associations, Kanivu Pain and Palliative Care, a voluntary organization that distributes free lunches to over 1,000 people daily and an artist NGO,” Mr Francis said.
He proposes to restart the PSC exam training center he set up in the councilor’s office in 2015, which has since produced 18 government employees. His top priority remains the complete renovation of the Rameswaram canal, which is a source of perennial waterlogging in the division.
Mr Antony considers his 20 years in the division to be his greatest asset and downplays the presence of a party rebel. “No one outside this division has ever won here. The UDF’s loss in 2015 was an exception, only because of my presence as an independent candidate. The traditional Congress voter base coupled with the absolute lack of development within the LDF in the last 10 years will work in our favour. While the neighboring divisions have seen progress, Chullikkal has remained stuck in a constant time warp.”
UDF rebel candidate Bastin Babu. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Mr. Babu claimed that he had expressed his reluctance to re-contest the leadership of the District Congress Committee and sought a six-month leave. “I did it because of the young Congress president Mandalam in Chullikkal. But when the list of candidates was released, he was overlooked in favor of someone who fought as a rebel against the party,” he said. Mr. Babu believes his track record as an award-winning sitting councilor presiding over the cleanest division will help him overcome the disadvantage of being outside the division.
Mr Seasonon, joint secretary of the Nazareth Area Committee, is giving himself a 50-50 chance in the Christian-dominated division. “We have a voting base of about 30% while the other 40% voters are non-partisan and decide the result. Our fight is against the rebel candidate as LDF and UDF candidates have little acceptance among the people,” he said.
K. Season of the BJP during his campaign in the division. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The delimitation slightly increased the size of the division, adding parts from neighboring Moolamkuzhi, bringing the total electorate to over 4,500.
Published – 27 Nov 2025 20:00 IST
