With counting approaching the final rounds in Kerala local body polls, CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), while overcoming a host of controversies it faced, was able to outperform Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Expected to win Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, NDA finished second with 34 seats, but was able to cause a major upset to Left by trouncing its sitting Mayor candidate K Sreeekumar as well as mayor probable Pushpalatha. Final results saw LDF retaining the Corporation with 51 wards, while UDF saw one of its worst performance by settling with 10 wards. Five independents have won here.
Out of the six corporations, LDF was able to comfortably sail through in Kollam, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram. In Thrissur Corporation, LDF is leading in 23 seats, while UDF in 20 seats and NDA retained 6 wards it won last time.
Kochi Corporation results came as a shocker for UDF, which ruled it for the last 10 years, where its projected Mayor candidate Congress heavyweight N Venugopal lost by just one vote to BJP. LDF was able to wriggle through with 34 seats against 31 of UDF, whereas NDA won five. The support of four independents will be crucial for both fronts for ruling the Corporation. The only solace came for UDF in Kannur, where it was able to establish a clear lead over LDF, when BJP opened its account for the first time.
In the municipalities, the UDF is leading in 45, the LDF in 35 while the BJP is leading in two. Out of 941 gram Panchayats, LDF is way ahead with 515, when UDF is leading in 376 NDA in 28 and others in 22. In Block Panchayats UDF at 44 is trailing behind LDF 108. Out of 14 district Panchayats, LDF has established a clear victory in 10 against four by UDF.
( With inputs from ANI )
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