In a massive victory for the BJP, the party will for the first time head a municipality in Kerala, successfully making its inroads into the state’s local administration.

Pramila Sasidharan who won from the Puthur North Ward has been elected as the municipal chairperson. The BJP won 24 out of a total of 52 seats, only three short of the majority mark.

However, no party had won a simple majority and therefore clear leadership hadn’t emerged.

The voting for the municipal chairperson was done in two rounds. In the first round, BJP won 24 votes, UDF 18 and LDF 10. In the second round, the LDF abstained from voting, paving way for four time councillor Pramila Sasidharan to become chairperson.  

In the local body election held in 2005, the BJP had won the maximum seats, but was unable to get its councillor elected as chairperson. Whereas this time, the BJP will be heading the local body.