AIADMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced that her party would contest in the local civic body elections which are scheduled to be held in the first week of November in Kerala. AIADMK is fielding nine candidates in three districts of Palakkad, Idukki and Kollam.

While in Palakkad and Idukki the party will fight for four seats each, it will contest for a single seat in Kollam district.

Palakkad and Idukki, two districts sharing its border with Tamil Nadu are home to a fairly large Tamil speaking population and the AIADMK supremo wants to tap in the Tamil sentiment to establish a firm footing in the state which is otherwise dominated by the CPI (M) or Congress traditionally.

This announcement comes at a backdrop of a nine-day protest by more than 7000 women plantation workers back in September bargaining for better workers’ condition and bonuses in Munnar, Idukki. A majority of these workers are believed to be migrant Tamil workers and this is what Jayalalithaa would like to exploit.

Although, from 2006, AIADMK has fielded candidates for many assembly and local elections in various states, it is yet to establish itself as a significant player in the state.