Thiruvananthapuram/Ernakulam: The Left Democratic Front, which had lost the Kalamassery Municipality in a lucky draw after it was tied with United Democratic Front on 20 seats, scored an upset win in Ward No 37 on Friday.
The election to this ward was postponed following the death of a candidate.
Independent LDF candidate Rafeeq Marakar defeated UDF's V S Sameel by 64. Rafeeq secured 308 votes while Sameel scored 244. Independent Congress candidate Shibu Siddique secured 207 votes which contributed to the UDF fallout.
UDF’s Seema Kannan was elected as the chairperson on December 29 through a draw of lots after both the fronts were tied on 20 seats apiece.
UDF had secured 19 seats in the local body polls while LDF won 18. The NDA has one seat in the civic body. Out of the three remaining Councillors, one had supported UDF while two joined hands with LDF which led to a tie. It necessitated a draw of lot to find the chairperson. However, 15 days later, one of the Independents deserted LDF and joined the UDF camp.
The latest victory takes LDF’s tally to 20 while UDF has 21.
Kalamassery is on the outskirts of Kochi city.
A total of 74.52% of the electorate cast their votes in the election held on Thursday.
UDF gains in Thrissur
UDF scored an upset win in the LDF stronghold of Pullazhi ward in Thrissur Corporation.
Congress candidate K Ramanathan wrested the seat from LDF by 998 votes.
With this, both the LDF and the UDF are tied on 24 seats each.
LDF is ruling the Corporation with the support of Congress rebel M K Varghese. The left coalition had appointed Varghese as the Mayor to keep power.
After Ramanathan's win, Varghese has rejected the UDF offer of five years of mayorship and affirmed that he will stay with LDF.
Other wards
UDF retained power in the Mavoor grama panchayat in Kozhikode with the victory of its candidate Vasanthi Vijayan at the Thathoorpoyyil ward.
UDF secured both Parambimukku and Chola wards in Panmana grama panchayat in Kollam district. IUML candidate A M Noufal won Paramabimukku while Congress candidate Anilkumar won Chola. Currently, UDF is in power in the panchayat.
LDF candidate Rohith M Pillai won by 464 votes from the 7th ward in Alappuzha's Chettikulangara panchayat.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front had edged the Left Democratic Front in the recent local body elections to 80-odd municipalities in Kerala, even as the latter emerged victories in 5 of the 6 corporations as well as in most of the block, district and gram panchayats.
Meanwhile, in Thillankeri division in Kannur grama panchayat were polls were held on Thursday, the LDF wrested the seat from the UDF with a majority of 6,980 votes. CPM district committee member won from their against Linta James of Kerala Congress Joseph faction.
