BJP improves position in Kerala local by-polls

The BJP on Wednesday registered an impressive win in the by-elections held on Tuesday to various local administration bodies in the State. The party, which had been holding only one ward in the 27 into which by-elections were held, retained that seat and bagged two other wards. These two wards were wrested from the CPI(M)-led LDF.

The LDF won 13 in wards while the UDF bagged 11 seats. While the UDF wrested six wards from the LDF, the Left brought to its kitty four wards formerly held by the Congress-led front. However, some upsetting defeats also troubled the LDF as in the case of the loss of the Elthuruth division in the Thrissur Municipal Corporation.

This was the first local bodies by-election held after the polling in the State for the 15th Lok Sabha elections. Though both the leading fronts claimed achievements in the by-election, leaders from both sides said this was in no way an indication of the voting pattern for the Lok Sabha election.

BJP candidate B Rajesh Kumar wrested Ward No 10 of Pallikkathode Panchayath in Kottayam district from the LDF by a margin of 319 votes, BJP candidate Liji Mnoharan defeated KK Kunhiraman of the Congress to retain Ward No 1 to which by-election was held in Thalikkulam Panchayath, Thrissur. By-poll was necessitated her due to the death of BJP member PP Pavithran. BJP’s S Sivaprasad was elected from Thalikkuzhy ward of Pulimath panchayath in Thiruvananthapruam by a margin of 80 votes.

In the other five wards to which by-polls were held, UDF bagged three while the LDF won in three. Survival of the LDF rule in Thrissur Municipal Corporation reached the verge with the victory of Unnikrishnan Eacharath of the Kerala Congress (M) over MN Sudhakaran of the CPI(M) in the Elthuruth ward. The LDF’s survival as the ruling side in the corporation would now depend on the Janata Dal (S) which held two seats. In the present circumstances, that party was likely to ally with the UDF, leading to the collapse of Left rule.

PK Ibrahim of the Congress defeated PK Jayapalan of the CPI by a margin of 440 votes in Ward 10 of the Chazhoor panchayath in Thrissur district. The UDF wrested the Pulikkanni ward of Varantharappally panchayath from the LDF.

While A Lakshmanan of the UDF retained the Thayatheru North ward of Kannur Municipality with a majority of 222 votes over CPI(M)’s MN Radhakarishnan, the UDF retained Ward 6 of the Uzhavoor panchayath in Kottayam district.

In the by-polls held to two wards in Alappuzha district, the CPI(M) and the Congress bagged one each. LDF Independent K Sivan won Ward 12< Kambivalappil, of Ambalappuzha North panchayath. The by-poll here was necessitated after PDP member Vinayakumar went abroad for job.

In Venmani ward of Venmani panchayath, the LDF candidate was pushed to the third position. While UDF candidate Narayanankutty of the Congress won here by a margin of 346 votes, BJP’s Sivankutty got the second slot polling 130 votes. LDF Independent Mani Krishnan could get only 93 votes.

UDF candidate Sali Shaju defeated Gigi Baby of the LDF by a margin of five votes in Ward 9 of Palakkuzha Panchayath, Koothattukulam, Ernakulam district. By-poll was held here after Congress member Ally Abraham resigned after she got a government job.

In Ward 4 of Kalloorkkad panchayath in Muvattupuzha, UDF’s George Johny Kakkuzhy defeated LDF candidate OT Joseph of Kerala Congress (J) by a margin of 94 votes.

In RRV Ward, Kilimanoor Panchayath, Thiruvananthapuram, Congress candidate R Chandrasekharan nair was elected by a margin of 166 votes. CPI(M) candidate KP Ramachandran got a majority of 370 votes in Kovoor ward of Chemmaruthi panchayath in the capital district.

In Kollam district, Ujjwalakumar of the Congress won the Thalachira ward of Vettikkaval panchayath while CPI’s V Anilkumar emerged winner at Edakkad in Ezhukon panchayath whereas the Mayyanad ward was bagged by CPI(M) candidate R Ratheendran. CPI(M)’s P Udayakumar bagged the Kuttikkada ward of Mayyanad panchayath with a majority of 703 votes. CPI’s Leela Gopinathan won in Thrikkannamangalam ward in Kottarakkara.

Responses