The traditional CPI(M) bastions in the district proved yet again that they are unshakable, while UDF strongholds were rattled by the pro-LDF wave across the State.
The victory of CPI(M) candidates in Payyannur, Taliparamba, Kalliassery, Mattannur, Dharmadam, and Thalassery was a foregone conclusion. The results in Koothuparamba, where UDF incumbent and Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan was trounced, proved it was also a CPI(M) stronghold now.
Not only the UDF lost Kannur, but the Congress candidate’s margin in Irikkur, a party pocket borough, fell from 11,757 in 2011 to 9,647 also. The UDF’s solace was K.M. Shaji of the IUML defeated M.V. Nikesh Kumar of the CPI(M) by a margin of 2,287. Incidentally, Mr. Shaji’s margin in 2011 was 493 votes. Sitting Congress MLA Sunny Joseph more than doubled his 2011 margin. He defeated his CPI(M) rival by a margin of 7,889 votes.
Highest margin
The highest margin here was secured by the CPI(M)’s E.P. Jayarajan in Mattannur. He got 43,381 more votes than his UDF rival. While T.V. Rajesh’s margin in Kalliassery was 42,891, that of James Mathew in Taliparamba was 40,617. In Payyannur, C. Krishnan won by a margin of 40,263, while Pinarayi Vijayan’s margin in Dharmadam was 36,905, and that of A.N. Shamseer in Thalassery was 34,117. Besides the CPI(M) fortresses was Koothuparamba where K.K. Shylaja won by an enticing 12,291 votes.
The BJP also improved its vote share. Its highest vote share was in Thalassery where its candidate V.K. Sajeevan secured 22,125 votes,securing more than thrice the votes it gained in 2011.
