Kerala assembly elections: Congress against ex-Congress leaders in Ernakulam's Kunnathunadu constituency
KOCHI: Kunnathunadu constituency in Ernakulam is witnessing a rare and intense triangular contest where the primary contenders for LDF and NDA share a common history — both were once prominent Congress functionaries.
UDF has once again placed its faith in V P Sajeendran, a Congress veteran who represented the constituency from 2011 to 2021. Sajeendran, a member of AICC and KPCC, is seeking to reclaim the seat he lost in a razor-thin contest in 2021.
He is up against the person who unseated him — P V Sreenijin, of LDF. Sreenijin’s victory in 2021 was a significant blow to Congress, not just because of the seat loss, but because he was a former Youth Congress leader. His joining CPM and subsequent win by a narrow margin of 2,715 votes proved that Left could successfully dismantle a Congress stronghold using its own former functionary.
Adding a layer of complexity to this “family feud” is NDA’s candidate Babu Divakaran. In a move that shocked local political circles just a few days ago, Divakaran resigned from all his positions in Congress, including his role as DCC general secretary, to join NDA.
Divakaran, son of veteran RSP leader and former state minister T K Divakaran, cited dissatisfaction with Congress leadership’s candidate selection as his reason for leaving. Divakaran's presence is expected to significantly split Congress’s traditional votes.
UDF has once again placed its faith in V P Sajeendran, a Congress veteran who represented the constituency from 2011 to 2021. Sajeendran, a member of AICC and KPCC, is seeking to reclaim the seat he lost in a razor-thin contest in 2021.
He is up against the person who unseated him — P V Sreenijin, of LDF. Sreenijin’s victory in 2021 was a significant blow to Congress, not just because of the seat loss, but because he was a former Youth Congress leader. His joining CPM and subsequent win by a narrow margin of 2,715 votes proved that Left could successfully dismantle a Congress stronghold using its own former functionary.
Adding a layer of complexity to this “family feud” is NDA’s candidate Babu Divakaran. In a move that shocked local political circles just a few days ago, Divakaran resigned from all his positions in Congress, including his role as DCC general secretary, to join NDA.
Divakaran, son of veteran RSP leader and former state minister T K Divakaran, cited dissatisfaction with Congress leadership’s candidate selection as his reason for leaving. Divakaran's presence is expected to significantly split Congress’s traditional votes.
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