The United Democratic Front (UDF) won 19 of the 38 wards contested in Kerala’s local body by-elections, while the Left Democratic Front (LDF) secured 18 seats. Twenty20 won the remaining seat.
The results saw both major fronts gain and lose seats across different parts of the state. Before the bypolls, the UDF held 22 of the 38 seats, while the LDF had 15. The results therefore changed the balance in several local areas, with the LDF taking seven wards previously held by the UDF and the UDF winning four Left-held wards.
The by-elections were held across 38 local government wards in 12 districts. Polling recorded a turnout of around 58.8 per cent, with counting taking place on Tuesday.
LDF gains ground in several districts
The LDF made gains in multiple districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Palakkad and Kannur.
One of the closest contests came in Chittur in Palakkad. The LDF and UDF candidates ended up with an identical vote count, leading to a draw to determine the winner. The LDF candidate eventually secured the ward through the draw.
In Kottayam, the LDF also recorded a significant win in the Thrikkodithanam district panchayat division. CPM candidate Manju Sujith won the seat by 2,140 votes, according to reports.
UDF also recovers seats from Left
The UDF managed to win several wards that had previously been held by the LDF.
The alliance secured seats in areas including Muttom in Idukki, Kunnamthanam in Changanassery, Sreekrishnapuram in Palakkad and Chelakkara in Thrissur.
The exchange of seats between the two fronts was one of the main features of the bypoll results, showing that the contests were closely fought in several local areas.
UDF wins all four seats in Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta emerged as a strong area for the UDF, with the alliance winning all four local body wards that went to the polls in the district.
The seats included wards in Kuttoor, Kunnamthanam, Ranni and Aruvappulam panchayats.
Twenty20 also registered a win in Ernakulam, taking one of the contested seats.
What the results mean for Kerala politics
The bypolls were the first local electoral test for the UDF government led by V.D. Satheesan after it came to power earlier this year. The results also gave the LDF an opportunity to recover some of the ground it had lost in recent elections.
However, the results were spread across different local bodies and districts, with both alliances changing hands in several wards. The overall tally remained close, with the UDF finishing with 19 seats and the LDF with 18.
The results are likely to be closely watched by both fronts as they assess their organisational strength and voter support ahead of future elections in Kerala.
