THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A huge BJP surge has scuppered the chances of both the UDF and LDF in the corporation wards. However, in municipalities and panchayats, the swell of the BJP support seen across the district, especially in urban and semi-urban areas, has hit mostly the UDF.
Even when the BJP lost, the votes garnered by its candidates turned out to be decisive in many municipalities and panchayats.
The BJP votes also witnessed a dramatic rise in wards where it was irrelevant five years ago. The BJP, which did not win a ward in Neyyatinkara last time, won five this time, and played kingmaker in most others.
Take for instance, Maruthathur in Neyyatinkara municipality where the BJP scored less than 20 votes last time. This time, they clocked 271 votes tipping the scales in favour of the CPM's Joly J; her lead a mere 33 votes.
As for the Congress, infighting turned fatal at least in Neyyatinkara and Varkala. If the desertion of former municipal chairman Jayakumar dented the Congress chances in Neyyatinkara, the rebel menace provoked by the ouster of another municipal chairman Suryaprakash saw the UDF shrink in Varkala.
"A consolidation in favour of the BJP had taken place in Thiruvananthapuram even before the arrival of Modi. Now it seems to be acquiring critical mass," said political analyst Shaji Varkey. Chalai ward, where the RSS had deep roots since the eighties, in the corporation is a telling example.
With Modi firmly entrenched at the Centre, it looks as if the ward has revealed its true colours. The BJP's S. K. P. Remesh has trounced CPM's Chalai Mohan who was generally considered invincible.
However, in coastal areas where there is a minority concentration, the BJP did not stand a chance. The BJP lost badly in coastal wards like Valiyathura, Puthenpallli, Sanghumughom, and Vallakkadavu.
They did not even put up a candidate in Poonthura. But urban areas like PTP Nagar, Poojappura, Pattom and newly-emerging urban centres like Thirumala, Nemom, Pappanamcode and Alancode fell into the BJP lap.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
