Suspense continues over vice-chairperson election in Pala municipality in Keralam

With the ruling alliance still unable to agree on a candidate and the numbers too close for comfort, suspense is building ahead of Wednesday’s (September 16, 2026) vice-chairperson election in the Pala municipality in Keralam, where a split among the rebel Congress councillors or even a single abstention could turn the contest on its head.

The inability of the Nagara Vikasana Munnani (NVM), an alliance of Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillors and rebel Congress members, to select a consensus candidate has opened an opportunity for the United Democratic Front (UDF), which is stepping up efforts to wrest the post even as the LDF weighs fielding its own candidate. In the 26-member council, the NVM has 12 LDF councillors and four rebel Congress members.

The alliance had demonstrated its strength a month ago when Independent councillor and Congress rebel Maya Rahul was elected chairperson with its support. At the time, the Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)]-led LDF had decided not to stake a claim to any post in the municipality, leaving the vice-chairperson’s position to the rebel Congress camp. But with the four rebels failing to reach a consensus, the LDF is now reconsidering its stand and preparing to enter the contest.

Possible candidate

LDF parliamentary party leader Biju Palupadavan is the likely candidate, according to sources, and he is said to have the backing of chairperson Maya Rahul. If the four rebel Congress councillors split, Mr. Palupadavan could muster 13 votes with the chairperson’s support. “We have asked the rebel Congress councillors to come up with a consensus candidate or a candidate who enjoys the support of the majority of the councillors. Discussions are still under way and hopefully a decision will be arrived before the election,” said Lopez Mathew, district president, KC(M).

The UDF, meanwhile, is working on its own numbers game. It is likely to field Congress councillor Riya Cheerankuzhy and has intensified efforts to win back the rebel Congress councillors. The UDF currently has eight councillors, including Lissikutty Mathew, who has been suspended from the Congress for violating the party Whip during the voting on the no-confidence motion introduced by the LDF to oust UDF-backed chairperson Diya Pulikkakandam.

Bid to win rebels back

Meanwhile, Congress leaders are also learnt to be working to bring three more rebel Congress councillors, excluding Maya Rahul, back into the party fold. If they succeed, the numbers could tighten dramatically, leaving the LDF and UDF camps locked at 13 votes each and forcing a draw of lots to decide the winner.

But the calculations are far from settled as the LDF itself is facing the possibility of cracks over the power-sharing arrangement involving Ms. Rahul. There have been reports of differences within the alliance over her sharing the chairperson’s term with Kerala Congress (M) councillors and that atleast one KC(M) councillor is considering to abstain from Wednesday’s vote.