LDF candidate in Vyttila AB Sabu campaign in the division. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
A three-cornered competition is underway in the Vyttila division of the Kochi Corporation.
Both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) fielded candidates who defected from rival parties. A UDF-backed Independent, VP Chandran started his political career in the Communist Party of India (CPI) before moving to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). He was expelled last year after a fight between local committee leaders.
Meanwhile, AB Sabu, the CPI(M) candidate, is a three-time councilor who represented the Congress before switching parties in 2021 ahead of the last Assembly elections. R. Sakhil, who finished second in the erstwhile Champakkara division in 2015, is contesting as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.
BJP candidate R. Sakhil interacting with voters in Petta. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Mr. Chandran alleges that the CPI(M) announced his expulsion in a public meeting without seeking an explanation from him. A former member of the party’s Thrikkakara area committee, he also served as the LDF’s parliamentary secretary in the Corporation during his tenure as a councilor after being elected from Champakkara division in 2015. “People in the division trust that I will stand by them in times of crisis, that they can turn to me even at midnight. I strongly feel that trust when they meet me is also an organizational machinery.”
Independent PV Chandan Campaiginning and Vyttila supported by UDF. | Photo Critic:
For Mr. Saba, this marks a return to the division from which he secured the corporation its first victory 25 years ago. He has since won twice more from the Poonithura division in 2005 and 2015. Between these victories came a defeat in 2010 from the Island South division when he was considered a strong mayoral contender. Defending his decision to switch parties, Mr. Sabu claimed that his decision was due to Congress’ lack of commitment to the people during its two consecutive terms in power in the Corporation from 2010 to 2020.
Now, in his first electoral battle against his former party, Mr Sabu remains confident of victory. “I was never a councilor limited only to the causes of my division, but I always had a bigger perspective and worked for the development of the whole city. People realize that,” he said.
Mr Sakhil claimed that the BJP has strong roots in the division, which was represented by Sunitha Dixon, who won as a Revolutionary Socialist Party (UDF ally) candidate in 2020. She has since joined the BJP and is contesting from the neighboring Ponnurunni East division.
“The division was demarcated to dilute the growing influence of the BJP. Neither front has addressed the problems of the division, from lack of drinking water to traffic woes. Upgradation of the Champakkara fish market is also long overdue,” he said.
The division was redrawn to include Champakkara division and almost 90% of the former Vyttila division, representing more than 6,500 votes.
Published – 20 Nov 2025 20:39 IST
