Koothattukulam Election: UDF Backs Kala Raju for Chairperson

fast summary

• kala Raju, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] councillor in Koothattukulam municipality, Ernakulam district, Kerala, crossed over to teh United Democratic Front (UDF), voting in favor of a no-confidence motion that dislodged the Left Democratic front (LDF) from power earlier this month.
• On August 27, 2025, the UDF parliamentary party meeting decided to field Kala Raju as chairperson candidate and independent P.G. Sunilkumar as vice-chairperson candidate for upcoming appointments.
• The LDF lost its majority after former chairperson Vijaya Sivan and vice-chairperson Sunny Kuriakose were voted out on August 5 in the wake of Ms. Raju’s defection.
• Ms. Raju had been at odds with CPI(M) as January 18 when she alleged being abducted by party activists to prevent voting against an earlier LDF leadership; this incident deepened tensions.
• The matter has spurred political accusations:

– Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan criticized CPI(M), calling their loss a reply to “the murder of democracy.”
– District Congress Committee president Muhammed Shiyas hailed it as resistance to suppression within the Left front.
– Former LDF vice-chairperson Sunny Kuriakose accused UDF of horse-trading while denying allegations concerning Ms. Raju’s abduction.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The political change occurring at Koothattukulam municipality highlights persistent fault lines within Kerala’s local governance system. Kala Raju’s unprecedented crossover from CPI(M) not only exemplifies fractured relationships within parties but also signals broader shifts where individual actors can considerably alter coalitions’ dynamics at regional levels.

While her defection secured victory for UDF and destabilized LDF’s dominance locally, accusations ranging from abduction claims by CPI(M) activists to counter-allegations of horse-trading by UDF underline a contentious environment indicative of challenges faced by coalition politics statewide.Notably, these events raise questions about clarity and ethical conduct underlying such alliances.For Kerala politics overall-known for its highly polarized competition between UDF and LDF-such disruptions may shape future strategies or contribute further scrutiny toward smaller municipal bodies increasingly mirroring higher-stake partisan rivalries that characterize state-level elections.

Read more: The Hindu