LDF making gains in Kerala panchayat polls, UDF leading in municipalities

Counting of votes is currently underway for 21,893 wards of 1,200 local bodies, including six corporations, 941 village panchayats, 14 district panchayats, and 87 municipalities, which went to polls on December 8, 10 and 14 respectively and the overall voter turnout was 78.62 per cent.

According to the latest trends, UDF is leading in 45 municipalities, LDF in 35 and NDA in 2.

Reports coming in at 15: 42 hours said LDF was leading in 110 block panchayats and UDF 42.

Latest trends showed LDF is leading in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi and Kozhikode corporations; UDF in Thrissur and Kannur.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate defeated CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate  in the Pandalam Municipality after counting was taken up for the three-phase local body election on Wednesday.

The BJP-led NDA wrested power from CPI(M)-led LDF in Pandalam Municipality where the famous Lord Ayyappa temple is located.

The BJP won in 18 divisions out of the 33 divisions in the LB poll. In 2015, the BJP could win only in 7 divisions.

This time, the CPI(M) romped home in 9 divisions only. The Congress managed to get 5 divisions and an Independent secured one division.

In a setback, Bharatiya Janata Party's Thrissur Municipal  Corporation Mayor candidate B Gopalakrishnan was defeated by Congress-led UDF candidate AK Suresh  in the local body election after the counting ended on Wednesday.

With the BJP leader's defeat, the party lost its seat  in Kuttankulangara division of Thrissur Municipal Corporation.

Gopalakrishnan, also the party state spokesperson, was defeated by a margin of nearly 200 votes.

The BJP-RSS leadership denied ticket to party's sitting member Lalithambika this time who had also demanded another opportunity to contest.

Later, Lalithambika announced her decision to resign from BJP’s Mandalam Vice-President post as a mark of protest against  the denial of giving party ticket to her.