Shyamala S. Prabhu, a former state vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who is contesting as an independent candidate from Cherlayi ward of Kochi Corporation, is likely to be one of the veteran candidates in the fray this time. After winning all the six civic polls she contested since 1998, Ms. Prabhu is all set for her seventh local polls. Ms. Prabhu’s popularity chart has remained stable since her first win, as evidenced by her successive wins in the choir. This time, Ms. Prabhu, who is still a member of the BJP, is trying to prove a political point. Her contest is against several BJP leaders in the area, whom she describes as “a coterie that worked tirelessly to sideline me and many active party workers and field a lesser-known person as the party’s candidate”. She claimed that the chosen one was a fake candidate of the rebel candidate the group had fielded against her in the 2015 elections.
Published – 18 Nov 2025 23:27 IST
