The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has put up an impressive show in the bypolls held in 33 local body wards on Tuesday by winning 17 seats.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 13 seats and the BJP-led National Democratic Front (NDA), four, while the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) won one each. The AAP sprang a surprise with its candidate Beena Kurien wresting Nediyakad in Karinkunnam grama panchayat in Idukki from the Congress by a four-vote margin.
The byelections on Tuesday saw a turnout of 72.71%. The State Election Commission declared the results on Wednesday after the votes were counted at multiple centres.
Reacting to the UDF performance, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the Congress-led front had dominated all the local body bypolls held after the LDF came to power in Kerala. In the latest bypolls, the UDF increased its tally from 11 to 17 seats, wresting five from the LDF, he said. The UDF lost three seats by slender margins of 1, 4 and 30 votes, he pointed out.
The UDF wrested Kootickal in Kanjirapally block panchayat from the Communist Party of India; and Thalakkassery in Pattithara grama panchayat and Anchumoorthi ward Wadakkanchery panchayat in Palakkad district and Challivayal in Villiapally grama panchayat in Kozhikode from the CPI(M). The LDF wrested Vilangara in Ummannur grama panchayat (Kollam); Ozhur in Ozhur grama panchayat (Malappuram); and Puthusserimala East in Ranni grama panchayat (Pathanamthitta) from the BJP.
The CPI(M) lost Manambur ward in Aruvikkara grama panchayat (Thiruvananthapuram) to the BJP.
The SDPI retained Kuttimaram Parambu ward in Erattupetta municipality (Kottayam) with its candidate Abdul Latheef winning by a margin of 44 votes.
Party-wise
For the UDF, the Congress won 14 seats and the Indian Union Muslim League, three. For the LDF, the CPI(M) won seven, the CPI two, and the Kerala Congress (Mani), one.
In all, 114 candidates, including 47 women, were in the fray for the bypolls in the 33 wards.
