Ward 11 in Kalamassery municipality has a hot contest this election season. Seema Kannan, the outgoing Congress chairperson representing the United Democratic Front (UDF), is set to battle Sheeba Babu from the Communist Party of India (CPI), part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is out of the race after its candidate's nomination was rejected for missing paperwork. Ms. Kannan is confident despite worries about anti-incumbency. She said, “The UDF was able to improve infrastructure facilities in the municipality.” She became chairperson in 2020 after a tie in council seats, winning the post by a draw of lots. She also survived a no-confidence vote in December 2022. Sheeba Babu, the CPI local committee member, is hopeful for a win this time. She noted that the development work done by the LDF and the State government’s projects would help their chances. “We have been highlighting the development plank in the campaign,” she said. The BJP faced a setback when its candidate Prajeela Suresh’s nomination was rejected for not submitting the statement of expenses from the 2020 local body election. The party had a similar problem earlier with another candidate, Dilsha Biju, whose nomination was rejected due to incorrect seconding details. With the BJP out, the election in Ward 11 is a straight fight between UDF and LDF, making this a key political battle in Kalamassery municipality.