It looks like Kerala is witnessing a reversal of political fortunes, with the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) racing ahead of its rival United Democratic Front (UDF) in as many as 530 of the 941 grama panchayats in the State.
In 2010, the alliance could win only about 365 grama panchayats. The UDF's tally, going by reports coming around 1 p.m., was only a shade above that at 374 grama panchayats.
The BJP has made a reasonably impressive showing in the grama panchayats, securing leads in 16 grama panchayats, up from just two in 2010.
The supremacy of the LDF in the block panchayats at this point of time is more definitive with the alliance gaining lead in 92 block panchayats, against the UDF's 59. In the municipalities, the LDF and the UDF are almost evenly poised, with the LDF securing the lead in 44 municipalities, against the UDF in 41 municipalities.
Among the six corporations, the most striking outcome is that in Thiruvananthpuram. Here the BJP has emerged as the second large party, pushing the UDF to the third place. The capital city now has a hung corporation council, with the LDF falling short of majority by around 6 seats. In contrast, the BJP has won 34 wards.
In the newly formed Kannur Corpooration, the UDF would be dependent on a dissident Congress candidate, who trounced all his other rivals to emerge victorious.
In Kochi, the UDF appears poised to return to power, as would the LDF in Kozhikode. The picture was unclear in Thrissur as well where the LDF has emerged as the single largest council group.
A look at the overall tally
| Grama Panchayats (Total) | 941 | Block Panchayats (Total) | 152 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LDF | 551 | LDF | 88 |
| UDF | 361 | UDF | 63 |
| BJP | 15 | BJP | 1 |
| Others | 14 | Others | 1 |
| District Panchayats (Total) | 14 | Municipalities (Total) | 87 |
| LDF | 7 | LDF | 44 |
| UDF | 7 | UDF | 41 |
| BJP | BJP | 1 | |
| Others | Others | 1 |
Live updates:
5:30 pm: Mr. Chandy brushes aside questions about need for a leadership change in the light of the poll outcome. >More...
5:24 pm: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy says local polls results is a warning for Congress and UDF.
4:44 pm: A.K. Antony says there were undercurrents during the last week of campaign for the local government elections. >More...
3:31 pm: UDF wins 16-member Pathanamthitta district panchayat, bagging 10 seats, leaving the remaining six seats to LDF.
3:13 pm: In Koipram block panchayat, UDF and LDF win six seats each. BJP that won a single seat has become the key player here.
3:00 pm: BJP falls short of 3 seats in Palakkad municipality. The other seats belong to Welfare Party of Jamaate Islami.
2:34 pm: Kerala Congress (M), despite UDF's poor show in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, opens account in Corporation through Peter Solomon from the coastal ward of Poonthura.
2:31 pm: LDF wins all 11 Block panchayats in Kannur against 10 in previous election.
2:27 pm: LDF leads in gram Panchayats in Thrissur. LDF with 67 seats ,UDF with 18 seats and BJP with 1 seat.
2:18 pm: UDF failure in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation compared to Municipal, Gram, Block & District Panchayat seats needs study: Shashi Tharoor.
2:15 pm: LDF and UDF won 15 and 11 seats respectively in the 32-member municipal council, leaving hung verdict in the polls.
Jubilation of BJP workers I Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district. BJP has bagged seven seats in the newly formed Pandalam municipality.
2:11 pm: LDF has won in 22 and is leading in 28 out of 73 grama panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram; UDF has won in 9 and is leading in 11 while BJP is leading in one, which is the Kalliyoor panchayat.
(LDF's victory rally in Kannur Corporation)
1:36 pm: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeransays the Congress leadership will look into the reasons for the setbacks suffered by the party and United Democratic Front (UDF) in the local government elections. >More...
12:59 pm: LDF more than doubles the number of seats from the last elections in Ernakulam district panchayat but its tally of 10 is still way short as UDF romps home with 16 seats in the 27-member body. Last time the LDF was reduced to just 3 seats in the then 26-member district panchayat.
12:45 pm: CPI(M) veteran and Kerala Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan says the elections clearly show that only the LDF can resist the 'communal politics' of the BJP. >More...
12:21 pm: Grama panchayats provide the lone bright spot for LDF in Ernakulam. After reduced to just six out of 84 panchayats in 2010 it has managed to come back strongly and now leads in 42 against UDF's 35.
12:20 pm: Seats won by the BJP in Kozhikode Corporation: Marad, Chevarambalam, Meenchanda, Karaparamba, Civilstation, Beypore, Beypore port.
12:19 pm: LDF wins 3 out of 12 municipalities in Malappuram district. BJP makes gains in the district.
12:14 pm: UDF retains Pathanamthitta municipality. UDF: 22; LDF: 9; SDPI: 1
12:04 pm: It’s LDF all the way in the capital, with clear leads in 47 out of 73 grama panchayats, 7 of 11 block panchayats and clean victories in all four municipalities. In the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, it has most seats with 42 though the verdict is hung with BJP being close behind with 34 seats and the UDF in 3rd position with 20.
12:03 pm: Thiruvananthapuram Corporation set for a hung verdict with LDF leading in 43 seats, BJP in 34 and UDF in 20. BJP wrested several strongholds of both LDF and UDF. Mayor candidates of both LDF and UDF suffered huge defeats. BJP managed to make inroads into traditional left bastions like Attipra ward, where LDF has won by huge majorities in the past elections.
11:57 am: Chairperson of outgoing Kannur Municipality Roshni Khalid is defeated in Elayavur north in Kannur Corporation.
11:54 am: LDF wins in all four municipalities of Kollam dist. 3- Punalur, Paravur retained. Karunagapally wrested from UDF and won in the new Kottarakara.
11:53 am: LDF leading in 42 wards of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation; BJP in 34; UDF in 21 and others in 3
11:40 am: Late CPI stalwart P.K. Vasudevans daughter and ldf candidate Sarada Mohan wrests the lead from UDF candidate after trailing all along in kalady division of Ernakulam district panchayat
11:30 am: We can't be brushed aside now, says Kerala BJP chief
Buoyed by the impressive victory his party has scored in the State capital and across Kerala, State BJP president V. Muralidharan has said that the poll results clearly show that nobody can now brush aside the BJP in the State. >More...
11:19 am: UDF set to fare well in block panchayats in Kannur as it leads in 5 out of 11 block panchayats, while LDF leads in 6. In the last election LDF won 10 out of 11 block panchayats.
11:14 am: LDF retains Kollam Corporation for fourth consecutive term. The LDF wins in 33 divisions, the UDF in 13 divisions and the BJP in two. The BJP has opened account for the first time.
11:10 am: Congress rebel P.K. Ragesh tipped to be a key player as LDF and UDF all set to share 27 seats each in Kannur Corporation. A big embarassment for the UDF.
11:09 am: LDF leading in 21 out of 26 divisions in the Kollam District Panchayat; UDF in 5.
10:59 am: BJP wins 10 seats in Palakkad municipality indicating it would wrest administration. Leading in majority of seats.
10:57 am: It looks like a hung Corporation council in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, with BJP leading only in 40 out of the 100 wards. BJP has established itself in second position. UDF tipped to get only 17 seats.
10:52 am: K.R. Premakumar of the UDF wins Konam division of Kochi Corporation.
10:49 am: AIADMK makes its mark in Kerala local polls, wins three seats in Idukki grama panchayats.
10:41 am: The LDF is surging ahead in local body polls. The BJP puts in an impressive performance Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode.
10:40 am: In newly formed Mannarkkad municipality, LDF wins seven seats while UDF 5 seats. BJP wins three seats.
10:30 am: UDF racing ahead in Ernakulam district panchayat: UDF 16; LDF 05; Ind 01
10:29 am: LDF sure to retain power with a bigger majority this time in Attingal Municipality. Clear lead in 22 out of 31 wards as against 17 wards in 2010.
10:27 am: LDF's Mayor nominee in Thrissur, Sheela Viswanath loses.
10:24 am: BJP wrests four seats from LDF in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
10:20 am: LDF- 22 UDF- 8 BJP- 1 in Kollam Corporation.
10:10 am: BJP sets a record, wins 17 seats in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
10:06 am: Lead position in Maradu municipality in Ernakulam: LDF 11; UDF 10
10:03 am: The UDF suffers major setbacks in local polls, LDF ahead in 4 corporations, UDF loses Tirur municipality.
9:59 am: The LDF leads in 10 and UDF in 6 divisions in Angamaly Municipality in Ernakulam.
9:57 am: The LDF leading in 34 wards in Thiruvananthapura Corporation; BJP has 15 while UDF is in the third position with 9 wards.
9:55 am: Huge win for LDF at Kazhakuttom ward in Thiruvananthapuram. V.K. Prasanth wins with a lead of more than 3000 votes.
9:53 am: Grama panchayats in Kozhikode: LDF leading in 26; UDF in 24.
9:52 am: In Malappuram district, UDF leads in 324 of the 1778 wards. LDF leads in 201 and BJP in 8.
9:48 am: T.K. Ashraf of IUML wins Mattanchery of Kochi Corporation; Simi Teacher of the LDF wins Chalikkavattom.
9:40 am: The BJP creates record in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, races ahead in 12 seats.
9:38 am: K. Jayadevan of the LDF wins in Kunnavu ward in Kannur Corporation.
9:37 am: In Kottakkal Municipality, UDF wins 18, LDF 8 and BJP 2.
9:35 am:
A scene at one of the counting centres in Varkala municipality in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo: S. Gopakumar
9:33 am: V.P. Chandran of the LDF wins Chamapakkara division of Kochi Corporation.
9:25 am: In Kozhikode Corporation: LDF leads in 23; UDF 5 ; BJP 1.
9:24 am: M.B. Muraleedharan of the UDF wins Vennala of Kochi Corporation.
9:17 am: Kannur grama panchayats: LDF leads in 43 and UDF in 17.
9:16 am: The LDF and UDF leading in 6 each divisions in Thiruvananthapuram District Panchayat; BJP in 1.
9:10 am: The LDF is leading in 18 gram panchats in Thrissur district. TheUDF leads in 8 and the BJP in 5.
9:03 am: The BJP opened its account in the Kollam Corporation when its candidate Kokila S. Kumar won from the Thevally division. Otherwise, the LDF has established comfortable lead giving the front much hope about retaining the corporation rule for the fourth consecutive term.
9:00 am: The UDF, LDF and BJP leading in three divisions each in Thrissur Corporation.
8:57 am: BJP opens account in Kollam corporation by winning the Thevally division.
8:56: UDF and LDF leads in 6 municipalities each in Ernakulam.
8:54 am: Grama panchayats in Kannur - LDF leads in 35 and UDF in 15.
8.52 am: UDF wins 8 and LDF 7 in Kochi Corporation.
8:50 am: BJP leading in 4 wards each in grama panchayats and municipalities. Pathanamthitta municipality: LDF --3, USF-1 Former civic body chief Amrutham Gokulan of CPM has been defeated.
8:45 am: In Kannur district panchayat: LDF leads in six and UDF in eight.
8:42 am: Benedict Fernandaz of the CP(M) wins the Amaravathi division in Kochi Corporation.
8:40 am: The LDF is leading in six out the 31 wards in Attingal Municipality in Thiruvananthapuram, where the UDF has come to power only once since 1979.
8:39 am: In Kannur corporation, Gemini K. of the UDF wins in Palliyamoola ward.
8:33 am: In Thiruvananthapuram corporation: the LDF leads in 18, UDF in 6 and BJP in 5.
8:32 am: Five results declared in Varkala municipality in Thiruvananthapuram. LDF wins 4, UDF 1.
8:31 am: In Thiruvananthapuram, the LDF leading in 11 wards and the UDF in four.
8:26 am: BJP's P. Geetha is first winner from ward 1 of Nedumangad Municipality in Thiruvananthapuram. The LDF leads in 6 seats, UDF in 3 and BJP in one in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
8:22 am: First results from Malappuram: UDF wins 4 seats in Kottakkal Municipality.
8:18 am: The BJP is leading in 9 wards in the first 10 minutes.
8:14 am: The LDF leading in 12 and UDF in 8 wards in municipalities in Ernakulam.
8:10 am: The LDF leading in 7 wards and UDF in three municipalities in Ernakulam.
7:59 am: Postal votes cast for Ernakulam district panchayat being brought to the counting centre at the district Collectorate.
7:54 am: Contesting from Moothakunnam division of district panchayat Ms. Shyla ,former district panchayat president of LDF, is confident of the front wresting the local body back from the UDF.
7:53 am: Political party leaders have been careful not to hazard any guess on the outcome, but in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram corporations, the confusions and doubts in the minds of Congress leadership about the possible outcome came out with leaders almost admitting that the party and United Democratic Front may not make it this time.
7:40 am: Single counting centre at collectorate for counting votes for 27 divisions in Ernakulam district panchayat. Counting for 14 divisions to be over in a single round while the counting for the remaining 13 divisions to be finished in 2 rounds.
7:40 am: 9000-odd postal votes to be first counted at district collectorate. Postal votes can be submitted till before counting starts at 8 am
7:38 am: A high voter turnout of 81.47 per cent keeps both fronts interested in Ernakulam district.
7:30 am: ADGP north zone N. Shankar Reddy says prohibitory orders imposed in Kannur district and rural areas of Kozhikode for 5 days in view of volatile situation after local body polls.
