Kerala polls: Urban woes, water scarcity dominate campaign in Thiruvananthapuram Central

Urban infrastructure, flood management, and water scarcity have emerged as key issues shaping the political discourse in the Thiruvananthapuram Central constituency as the Assembly elections draw near.

CP John, contesting on behalf of the UDF, has placed the city’s civic challenges at the center of his campaign. He has highlighted concerns such as water scarcity impacting the working class. John also alleges that initiatives to control flooding, launched during the UDF government’s tenure, have since been abandoned, to the city’s disadvantage.

He further states that while the BJP’s vote share has grown, people are increasingly looking to the UDF as an alternative to the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government.

On the other hand, the BJP has fielded Karmana Jayan, a seasoned politician who asserts that the party is no longer seen as an “also-ran,” but as a serious contender capable of forming a government with its own Chief Minister. His campaign also focuses on civic concerns, with Jayan describing the Kerala capital as a backward city, attributing the situation to neglect by the ruling party.

The LDF has backed independent candidate Sudheer Karamana, an actor and son of the late legendary actor Karamana Janardhanan Nair. Karamana has expressed confidence that voters will opt for continuity over political experimentation and that the LDF will secure a third consecutive term in power. He has rejected allegations of inadequate development, claiming that the LDF has made visible improvements to the city’s infrastructure, particularly over the past five years.

The Thiruvananthapuram Central constituency falls entirely within the limits of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, where the BJP recently ended over four decades of LDF rule in the local body elections — a development that could influence the outcome of the Assembly polls.

With shifting political loyalties and competing narratives on development, Thiruvananthapuram Central is poised for a closely watched electoral contest.