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The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) suffered a setback in Keralam’s local body bye-elections, with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) wresting seven wards from it. Two of the wards had been vacated by sitting UDF MLAs.
The UDF won 19 of the 38 wards, while the opposition LDF won 18. Twenty20, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), won the remaining seat. Before the bye-elections, the UDF held 22 of the wards, the LDF 15, and the NDA one.
Bye-elections were held across 38 local body wards in 12 districts of Keralam, excluding Kollam and Alappuzha. The results mark the first major electoral test for the VD Satheesan-led UDF government.
The UDF retained key wards including the Ayyappankkavu division in the Kochi Corporation and Kuttichira in the Kozhikode Corporation. However, its margin in Kuttichira was lower than in the previous election.
The LDF’s gains included seven wards wrested from the UDF across districts including Kannur, Kottayam, Palakkad, and Thiruvananthapuram. The seats captured by the LDF include the the Thrikkodithanam Division of the Kottayam District Panchayat, previously held by sitting Changanassery MLA Vinu Job Kuzhimanmil, and the Paruthikkavu Division in Chittur-Thathamangalam Municipality, held by Chittur MLA Sumeesh Achuthan.
The LDF also retained the district panchayat seat held by Left-backed MLA T M Shashi, increasing its majority.
Twenty20 retained the Kolenchery East ward in Puthencruz panchayat in Ernakulam, giving the NDA its lone seat in the bye-elections. The BJP did not win any ward.
The State Election Commission recorded an overall voter turnout of 58.81%, with 3,09,713 voters casting their ballots.
