THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ruling LDF secured a significant victory in the local bodies’ by poll winning nine of the 15 wards that went to polls on Wednesday. While the BJP retained three seats, the UDF could secure only two. The Kerala Congress (Mani), which parted ways with the UDF, won one seat. The LDF wrested Rajagiri ward in Cherupuzha grama panchayat in Kannur which was earlier held by the Congress-led UDF and Majibayal in Meenja Grama panchayat in Kasargod which was the BJP’s sitting seat.
The UDF captured two seats in Palakkad from the LDF. Gafoor Kolkalatthil won Ambazhakkodu ward in Kottoppadam grama panchayat and C. Usha won the Panjakad ward in Thenkara grama panchayat. In Alappuzha district, Anitha Prasad of CPM won the Cherukalikayal ward of the Kainakari panchayat and Nija Anilkumar of the CPI got elected from Anandeswram ward of Purakkad panchayat. KC (M) won Mutholy panchayat bypoll. P.R. Sasi of the party got elected from Thekkumury ward defeating C.P. Raju of the Congress by a margin of 71 votes. With the victory, the KC(M) has secured the majority to rule the 13-member panchayat. The bypoll was the first one after the KC(M) left UDF.
The BJP’s B. Shylaja retained Thevally ward by defeating N.S. Bindu of the LDF by a margin of 400 votes. Ms Shylaja, the mother of councillor Kokila S. Kumar who died in an accident, secured 1,274 votes.
The other LDF winners:
D. Vikas (Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram), P.K. Shibu (Mankara, Palakkad), Ramla Cholackal (Thiruvanbady, Kozhikode), U. Mohanan (Kannapuram) Lali Thomas (Cherupuzha), N.V. Rameshan (Pinarayi) in Kannur and P. Santha Ramashetty (Meenja, Kasargod.) The BJP candidates who won are Thankapan Pillai (Ranni Pazhavangadi, Pathanamthitta) and Haridas Narayanan (Koovappady, Ernakulam).
