Karayi Chandrasekharan to contest in Thalassery civic polls amid pending murder case

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader Karayi Chandrasekharan, an accused in the murder of National Development Front (NDF) activist Muhammad Fazal, has been fielded as the party’s candidate in the upcoming Thalassery municipal elections. Mr. Chandrasekharan, who is facing conspiracy charges in the case, will contest from the Chelakkara ward.

A former chairperson of the municipality, he had stepped down from the post in 2015 due to bail conditions that restricted his entry into the district. The CPI(M) is aiming to bring him back as the chairperson if the party retains its hold. Mr. Chandrasekharan, a senior leader and CPI(M) area committee member, remains influential in Thalassery, where the Left expects to maintain its long standing dominance over the municipality.

The number of wards has risen from 52 to 53 this election. The Left Democratic Front has completed seat allocation across all wards, with the CPI(M) contesting in 46 seats and the CPI in five. One seat each has been allotted to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Indian National League (INL).

Seat sharing discussions within the United democratic Front (UDF) is nearing completion. The new ward, Guards, as become a point contention between the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), with both citing organisational presence in the adjoining areas. In the remaining wards, the current understanding is that the Congress will contest in 35 wards and the IUML in 17. The UDF currently holds seven seats in the municipality- the Congress in three and the IUML in four seats.

The National Democratic Alliance is expected to announce its candidates soon. Thalassery remains the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strongest base in Kannur district in terms of council representation and the party is looking to improve its tally. However, recent controversies involving its leaders, including alleged involvement of BJP leader K. Lijesh in the murder of CPI(M) worker K. Haridas in Punnol, have weakened its position. Internal strains persist, with the RSS distancing itself from electoral activities and having publicly disowned the accused in theHaridas murder case.