THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front secured 13 seats and UDF 12, in Local Body bypolls held on Thursday in 28 locations across the state. BJP won 2. Candidate belonging to Josmon faction from Kerala Congress secured one seat defeating his rival from Congress.
LDF wrested seats from UDF in districts of Kasaragod, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha while, seats held by LDF in Ernakulam and Alappuzha were lost to UDF. UDF took in one seat held by BJP earlier, while another seat played out in the reverse. UDF also bagged one seat held by an independent earlier.
In Kasaragod Municipality, LDF candidate Computer Moidheen won Honmul ward that belonged to Muslim League earlier. The seat fell vacant after Standing Committee Chairman KM Abdul Rehman resigned from his post during his stint as treasurer of Cricket Association. Abdul Muneer was the Muslim League candidate.
CPI(M) backed independent candidate PK Nirmala won sweeping majority in Pathanamthitta’s Kadapra Panchayat. The seat, reserved for scheduled cast, fell vacant after Congress representative Prasannakumari resigned following infighting with Kerala Congress’s Jose faction.
In Eliarackal ward of Konni panchayat, Leela Mani (UDF) secured 56 votes in victory defeating LDF candidate S Mannil and BJP’s Sujabhai. The seat fell vacant following death of LDF representative Binoi G Nair.
In Alappuzha, LDF wrested seats from Congress in Ward 17 of Pathiyoor grama panchayat and Karuvattakuzhi. KB Prashant from LDF bagged the win defeating Congress incumbent Biji Sunil. Biji is wife of PD Sunil who won last polls in the ward, by a margin of 3 votes.
In Alappuzha, UDF candidate Sudha Rajeev won 12 Kambilisherry ward in Devikulangara gramapanchayat defeating nearest rival Indirabhai from LDF’s CPI(M). Sudha is wife of Rajeev who won by 44 votes in last polls and died subsequently paving way for bypolls there.
In Ernakulam, LDF candidate O K Baheer(CPIM) won the 11 ward(High School Ward) in Arukutti Gramapanchayat while UDF candidate B Mohandas grabbed 16th ward in Pulikunnu gram panchayat.
In Palakkad, of the two wards that went to polls, LDF and UDF their retained their seats.
In 11th ward of Shornur municipality, UDF candidate T Seena won the seat held earlier by her deceased husband CK Sunil Kumar.S
In Wayanad’s Vengapally panchayat, LDF candidate Balan Mavilod captured seat in Kokuzhi ward, with a majority of 102 votes.
In Kannur’s Ezhimala ward in Ramanthali panchayat, LDF candidate V Pramod defeatd UDF’s VV Unnikrishnan.
In Kannur corporation LDF candidate from CPI(M) T Prashanth won Edakkad division defeating nearest rival Shiju Satish from Congress(UDF).
BJP suffered setback in Thalassery corporation, after losing its seat to UDF. BJP Mandal Secretary K Ajeesh was defeated by Muslim League candidate AK Sakaria.
In Aluva’s Malyatoor, LDF wrested seat from UDF in Nileshwaram gramapanchayat.
In Kasaragod municipality, UDF candidate R Rith won in a 175 vote majority defeating LDF rival A Bindu.
In Ballal panchayat Kerala Congress candidate(jose faction) won the Maloth ward. The seat fell vacant after Kerala Congress(Mani faction) incumbent PV Michael had died this year.
In Kozhikode, LDF retained its sets in Edthumkara wards under Maniyoor panchayat.
LDF candidate P Padmanabhan won 308 vote majority in Vilapalli panchayat’s Kuttangarm ward.
In Unnikulam panchayat, UDF candidate Ahmed Junaid won Neroth ward in a 82 vote majority.
In Thrissur, Congress candidate KK Satyan won Madkathara panchayat’s 16th Ward in a 233 vote majority.
In Mulllassery, BJP’s Praveen bagged a 20 vote majority, in the 8th ward.
In Kottayam, from the 3 wards that went to polls, LDF and UDF retained their one seat each while one got taken by BJP.
In Vaikom corporation, BJP candidate KR Rajesh secured a 257 majority in the 21st division.
In Vijaypuram panchayat, LDF retained its seat with Usha Soman (CPIM) bagging 57 vote margin.
In Akalkunnam panchayat, Kerala Congress candidate(jose faction) George Thomas bagged a 63-vote majority in its Puvathllap ward.
28 wards in the state went to bypolls today. The voting that began at 10 am saw 90 candidates in the fray. Wards that witnessed elections included bypolls in one in Kannur corporation, on ward each in Vailkom, Shornu, Ottapal and Thalsaserry Muncipality, tow wards in Kasaragod. Panchayat wards from districts of Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod accounted for the remaining 21 wards.
