LDF takes seven wards from UDF in Kerala local by-elections
The Opposition Left Democratic Front won 18 of 38 Kerala local-body wards contested in by-elections, taking seven previously held by the Congress-led UDF. The UDF won 19 seats overall, retained 15 and gained four, while Twenty20 captured one ward in Ernakulam district.
The Opposition Left Democratic Front made gains against Kerala’s Congress-led United Democratic Front in local-body by-elections held across 38 wards in 12 districts. The results, declared on Tuesday, showed the UDF winning 19 seats and the LDF securing 18. The UDF retained 15 wards and took four from the LDF, while the LDF retained 11 and wrested seven from the governing alliance.
Twenty20, a National Democratic Alliance constituent, won one ward. The results came four months into the UDF government’s term. In the previous local elections in December, the UDF had won 22 of the contested seats, compared with 15 for the LDF and one for the NDA.
In Chittur-Thathamanagalam municipality in Palakkad, the result was decided by drawing lots after UDF and LDF candidates each received 423 votes. The ward had been vacated by UDF MLA Sumesh Achuthan, who had been the municipality chairperson. The LDF also won the Thrikodithanam division of Kottayam district panchayat.
CPI(M) candidate Manju Sujith defeated the UDF candidate by 2,140 votes in the ward vacated by Kerala Congress MLA Vinu Jacob. In the Chirayinkeezhu Assembly constituency, LDF candidate Bijimol S. won the Anchuthengu ward in the block panchayat by 359 votes, while LDF’s Ramya V.
Thulasi won the Mundakkal ward in Mangalapuram panchayat. UDF figures attributed criticism to the party’s performance despite what one MLA described as a positive political atmosphere; a recent local scuffle was also said to have affected the result in the region. The LDF gained in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Kannur.
The UDF won all four seats in Pathanamthitta and gained wards in Chelakkara and Sreekrishnapuram, though its margins narrowed in some retained wards.
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