Despite religious mobilisation BJP loses civic body polls in Kerala

The elections were held in 27 panchayat wards, 6 municipality wards, 5 block panchayat wards and 1 corporation ward in 14 districts of Kerala

Image courtesy: social media
Image courtesy: social media
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NH Web Desk

In the by-elections to local body seats in Kerala, which were vacant due to various reasons, the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) put up an impressive performance winning 21 out of 39 wards. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) came second with 11 seats and the BJP ended up on the 4th spot with just 2 seats losing the 3rd spot to SDPI which won 3 seats.

The elections were held in 27 panchayat wards, five block panchayat wards, six municipalities and one corporation wards across 14 districts. The ruling LDF in Kerala won 21 of 39 local body wards where by polls were held on Thursday, proving the gamble it took on the Sabarimala issue has not caused any set back. The BJP could only secure two new seats but lost a sitting one to LDF, and that too in Pathanamthitta district, where Sabarimala temple is located.

LDF’s tally of victories in 21 wards came from Thrissur district (5 out of 5 wards), Kannur district (2 out of 4 wards), Kozhikode district (1 out of 1 ward), Malappuram district (2 out of 4 wards), Alappuzha district (1 out of 5 wards) and Palakkad district (2 out of 2 wards).

Congress-led UDF won in 11 wards, the campaign for the by polls was as fiery as any Lok Sabha election as the controversy swirled around the SC order allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple. It’s biggest upset was in Pathanamthitta municipality where a rebel Congress candidate defeated the party’s official nominee.

Despite leading violent protests on women’s entry into the temple, the BJP could not benefit in the elections

The CPM-led LDF campaigned hard to convince voters about the position the Pinarayi Vijayan government took while BJP tried to cash in on religious sentiments hurt of reportedly the majority Hindu community.

But Putting all speculations of a BJP victory to rest, the two seats in Pathanamthitta was secured by an independent candidate and an SDPI candidate. Despite leading violent protests on women’s entry into the temple, BJP could not benefit in the elections.

SDPI won two seats against one it previously held. Independents won three wards. Though LDF celebrates its win, vote shares of BJP and SDPI have grown substantially in at least some pockets.

These are the first elections being conducted in Kerala after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on the entry of women of all ages at the Sabarimala temple. The issue has become a major talking point over the last two months and has fired up an intense rivalry between the state’s major political parties

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