Thiruvananthapuram : In the by-elections in 17 local wards held Thursday, LDF has so far won 7, UDF 9 and BJP 1. LDF took over UDF incumbent seat in three wards while 2 wards LDF won the last time were taken by UDF. Also, UDF took Mukanoor ward in Ernakulam won by Independent the last time. With that, both fronts had their victory statuses as before. Eight out of nine seats of UDF are in Malappuram and Ernakulam districts. The BJP won Adicchanallur panchayat in Punchirichira. LDF had secured this ward the last time by 2 votes.
LDF bagged UDF wards in Kollam, Alappuzha and Palakkad districts including Ottakal ward in Thenmala panchayat in Kollam district. Ottakal was won by LDF candidate Anupama who defeated Bijili James of UDF in a 34-vote lead. The victory marks end to 25-year UDF governance of the ward. Also with this, LDF and UDF now have seven seats each in Thenmala Panchayat comprising 16 wards earlier ruled by UDF. The prior status was : LDF - 6 seats and UDF eight. There are 2 Independent members at 2 places.
LDF candidate P Manoj won at Palakkad’s Pukottkav with a 303-vote majority. The Thanikun ward hee was held by UDF until now. The byelection was necessitated after member P Manoj resigned and left Congress to join CPI(M).
LDF captured UDF sitting seat in thalavadi panchayat of Alappuzha district where the Left front candidate NP Rajon won the 13th ward by margin of 197 votes. Byelection here was necessitated following Election Commission disqualifying incumbent Congress member, KT Visakh over his absence at Panchayat Committee meetings.
LDF retained its four wards in Kottayam, Thrissur and Kannur. LDF candidate Reshma Praveen from CPI(M) won the Vaikom Block Panchayat Maranvathuruth Division in Kottayam district. She defeated UDF’s Congress candidate Dhanya Sunil in a 232-vote lead. The by-election was held following resignation of CPI(M) candidate Sushma Santhos after she secured a government job.
LDF notched great gains in byelections held in Ward 15(Thanikudam) in Madakattara Panchayat in Thrissur. Congress was pushed to third place here while BJP stands second. LDF’s mithun Thiyathupram(CPI) won with 827 votes. NDA candidate Rahul Kurumampuzha secured 653 votes and UDF’s PN Radhakrishnan secured 175 votes. Speculation is rife that Congress flipped over BJP votes to defeat LDF. The plan we now know, failed anyway
LDF won two wards in Kannur - the 10th ward of Thatiot in Munderi Panchayat ad Dharmadam Panchayat’s 11th ward of Parikadavu. IN Thatiot, LDF candidate BP Reshma of CPI(M) won with a 393-voe majority defeating UDF’s KT Beena. Reshma secured 724 while Beena got just 331 votes. The by-election was owing to death of CPI(M) member M Vijitha who held the seat before.
B Geethamma of CPI(M) won Dharmadam’s Parikadavu defeating UDF candidate M Suresh. The seat was held prior by LDF’s KK Saseeendran who died leaving the seat vacant.
UDF won all four wards in Ernakulam Nikita Jobi won Wadakekkara’s 11th ward with a 228 vote lead. The seat here fell vacant following death of UDF member PJ Jobi. She defeated LDF’s KS Suni.
Similarly , Sini Mathachanwon the 4th ward of Mookannur panchayat in a 251-vote lead. Byelection here was owing to resignation of Independent candidate Reshma Varghese. LDF backed Independent Sisimol Rijo lost here.
Deepti Praji won the 10th ward in Palllipuram defeating LDF’s Reshma Nimal. The seat fell vacant hee following resignation of CPI(M) member Ajitha Shashankan.
Adv TP Soman won the 3rd Ernakulam ward in Echikara Pancyat in a 62-vote lead defeating LDF candidate MS Navaneet. The byelection here was owing to resignation of LDF candidate KM Anoop.
UDF retained all four wards in Malappuram district namely Chunkathara’s Kalakunnu ward where its candidate KP Marimun defeated LDF candidate Razeena Sajim, the vote share reduced to 109 from 164 votes in the last elections though.
UDF’s Chackochan Abdul Aziz won Kattilassery’s 16th ward of Puzhakattiri Panchayat. The vote lead was a mere 6 compared to 112 the last time. He defeated Abdusamad Kannakamthodi.
Thayil Iyapan of Muslim League won the Akkarapuram ward reserved for SC candidate this time. He defeated CPI(M)’s KV Sudhi.
Muslim League candidate U Munsheer of UDF won Chemmaniyodu Block division 2nd ward defeating Anwar. The seat had fell vacant following death of Palathingal Usman .
In Kozhikode, the UDF retained its seat in Palotikunn in Velam panchayat where EP Salim defeated LDF candidate PP Vijayan. The by-election was necessitated after death of Congress leader VP Sudhakaran.
