LDF Wins 18 Seats in First Local Body By-Elections Since UDF Came to Power; Wrests Seven Seats From UDF

Thiruvananthapuram: The LDF won 18 of the 38 seats where by-elections were held in various local bodies, while the UDF won 19 and Twenty20 secured one seat. The LDF wrested seven seats from the UDF, including two sitting seats held by UDF MLAs. The UDF's tally fell from 22 seats to 19. The BJP did not win any of the seats.

In Thiruvananthapuram, the LDF won three of the five seats where by-elections were held. The UDF, which had won four seats in the previous election, lost three of them. The LDF also won two of the three seats contested in Kottayam, wresting both from the UDF. In Palakkad, the LDF won five of the seven seats where elections were held. The LDF won both seats contested in Kannur and retained its seats in Kasaragod and the two seats in Malappuram.

District panchayat divisions

The LDF won two of the three district panchayat divisions where by-elections were held. In Kottayam district panchayat's Thrikkodithanam division, the LDF wrested the seat from the UDF. The victory came in the sitting division of UDF MLA Vinu Job, with LDF candidate Manju Sujith winning the election.

In Palakkad district panchayat's Pallassana division, LDF candidate V Ponnukuttan won and retained the seat for the LDF. The by-election was held following the election of T M Shashi as an MLA.

The UDF retained the Kallara division of the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat.

Municipal wards

The LDF recorded major win in two of the three municipal wards where by-elections were held. The LDF retained the Uruvachal division of Mattannur municipality in Kannur and wrested a ward in Chittur-Thathamangalam municipality from the UDF.

In Chittur-Thathamangalam, LDF candidate V Thulasidharan won the ward previously represented by Chittur MLA Suresh Achuthan. The LDF and UDF candidates secured 433 votes each, with Thulasidharan winning through a draw of lots.

In Mattannur's Uruvachal division, A K Sureshkumar won for the LDF. The by-election was held following the death of LDF councillor K K Abhimanyu.

Corporation wards

The UDF retained the corporation wards in Ernakulam and Kozhikode.

In Kozhikode, the UDF's margin declined sharply in the ward where Fathima Thahliya had won by 2,273 votes in the previous election. The UDF won the by-election by a margin of 436 votes.

In the Ayyappankavu division of Kochi Corporation, the UDF candidate won by a margin of 549 votes.