Triangular fight in Ernakulam South division

Polling to be held on May 17

A triangular contest is in the offing in the Ernakulam South division of the Kochi Corporation where the bypoll will be held next month.

The nominations of candidates of the three major political parties were found valid in the scrutiny held on Thursday. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 30. Polling will be held on May 17.

While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded Padmaja S. Menon to retain the seat it represented in the council, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has chosen Anitha Warrier and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) S. Aswathi to lead the fight.

Most candidates have completed the initial rounds of house visits in the division which has 4,462 voters.

Mini R. Menon, the previous representative of the division, could not do much as she fell sick soon after getting elected.

The NDA hopes to give the much-needed impetus to its campaign by roping in some Union Ministers, said R. Saji, who is coordinating the campaign.

The UDF, said K.V.P. Krishnakumar, the District Congress Committee (DCC) general secretary who had earlier represented the division, was leaving no stones unturned to win back the division, which it had represented for long. The UDF candidate has completed the initial rounds of house visits. Hibi Eden, MP, and T.J. Vinod, MLA, are also involved in the campaign, he added.