Her father, the late Dure Raj, was a worker from Nallathanni Kallaar and a prominent Congress leader. Out of respect for Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and affection for his infant daughter, he named her after the former party chief.
However, Sonia’s political affiliations shifted after her marriage. Her husband, Subhash, is a dedicated BJP worker and currently holds the position of panchayat general secretary.
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Last year, he ran as the BJP candidate in a by-election for the old Munnar Moolakkada ward. Following her husband’s political lead, Sonia Gandhi is now contending as a BJP-supported candidate, sparking curiosity and conversation in the local elections.
The Congress candidate Manjula Ramesh now encounters an unusual challenge, as her primary opponent is a BJP candidate named Sonia Gandhi, a name that immediately captures public interest.
It’s clear that the Congress nominee may not appreciate this situation, as namesakes have historically led to vote splitting due to voter confusion, which could significantly impact a tightly contested panchayat race.
The Kerala local body elections for 2025 will occur in two phases on December 9 and 11, with vote counting set for December 13. The first phase will see polling in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam.
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The second phase on December 11 will include Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, with results released in real time via the State Election Commission’s “TREND 2025” portal.
A total of 1,199 local bodies, encompassing grama panchayats, block panchayats, district panchayats, municipalities, and corporations, will participate in the election.
