The counting of the Kerala local body polls is currently underway with the Left Democratic Front leading in the local body elections, according to initial trends. The local body polls are often seen as an indicator of how parties are faring ahead of the legislative assembly elections. Assembly elections in Kerala are scheduled next year.
The current trends also show that the ruling LDF is leading in four corporations and Congress-led UDF maintaining a lead in 2 corporations.
In Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA has won against the ruling-Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Among 941 Gram Panchayat seats, LDF is leading in 501, UDF is close second with a lead over 375 seats and the BJP-led NDA is leading in 25 seats. LDF has also taken lead in 104 block panchayat seats and the UDF is leading in 48 seats out of 152.
The UDF has gained lead in 45 municipality wards. Out of 86 wards, LDF is leading in 35. BJP has extended its lead in two ward constituencies.
The Kochi Corporation North Island ward saw BJP emerge victorious by one vote. Congress’ mayoral candidate N Venugopal lost to BJP in this ward. Kizakambalam panchayat might see an unlikely winner as new political party Twenty20, formed a corporate house, looks set to win the seat.
In Thrissur, BJP’s mayoral candidate B Gopalakrishnan was defeated. The UDF has emerged victorious in North Kerala’s Periya.
{{/usCountry}}In Thrissur, BJP’s mayoral candidate B Gopalakrishnan was defeated. The UDF has emerged victorious in North Kerala’s Periya.
{{/usCountry}}The local body polls in Kerala were held in three phases. The first phase held on December 8 saw a turnout of 72.67% while the second phase held on December 10 saw a turnout of 76.38%. The final phase of the polls recorded a turnout of 78.64%.
The local body polls saw an electoral battle between the ruling party Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP which is trying to gain a foothold in the state will look forward to win more constituencies to mount a challenge to the LDF government ahead of the 2021 Kerala assembly elections.
The counting of votes will be held across 244 centres in Kerala. V Bhaskaran, state election commissioner (SEC), told news agency ANI that the postal ballots and the special ballot votes will be counted before of the electronic voting machine (EVM) votes.
Section 144 has been imposed in Malappuram and in certain areas of Kozhikode and Kasargod districts ahead of the announcement of the results . It prohibits the assembly of four or more persons in an area. The prohibitory orders will remain in place from 8 pm to 8 am till December 22.
District collector K Gopalakrishnan told ANI that usage of mike after 8 pm will not be allowed except at places of worship. Kozhikode district collector Seeram Sambasiva Ras has imposed restrictions on victory celebrations in Vatakara, Nadapuram, Valayam, Kuttiady, and Perambra Police station limits in Kozhikode rural police district till 6 pm on December 16.
The campaign for the local body polls saw the LDF and BJP criticising each other over Kerala CM Pinarayi Vjiayan’s announcement of free Covid-19 vaccine, gold smuggling case and the Life Mission scam. BJP state president K Surendran on December 7 told that BJP will emerge as a ‘dark horse’ in these elections. The ruling-LDF has lashed out at the opposition alleging that the BJP is misusing central agencies for political gain.