The results from Malappuram district played a crucial role in helping the United Democratic Front (UDF) win a thin majority to form the next government in Kerala. The Front won 14 out of the 16 Assembly Constituencies in the district, letting the Left Democratic Front (LDF) taste one of its worst defeats in Malappuram.
The LDF had to be satisfied with Ponnani and Thavanur seats, that too not with a comfortable margin, when the UDF won Perinthalmanna, Nilambur, Wandoor, Eranad, Manjeri, Kondotty, Malappuram, Mankada, Kottakkal, Vengara, Tirurangadi, Tanur, Vallikkunnu, Tirur.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) won all the 12 seats it contested in the district, and the Congress candidates won two.
Most glamorous victories in the district were that of IUML’s Manjalamkuzhi Ali in Perinthalmanna and P.K. Kunhalikutty in Vengara, and LDF-backed independent K.T. Jaleel in Thavanur.
Majalamkuzhi Ali defeated LDF’s sitting MLA V. Sasikumar by over 9,500 votes in Perinthalmanna. Mr. Kunhalikutty won in Vengara by a margin of 38,237 votes. LDF-backed Indian National League candidate K.P. Ismail could garner only 24,901 votes against Mr. Kunhalikutty’s 63,138 votes. Mr. Islmail’s votes were the lowest won by an LDF candidate in the district.
Mr. Jaleel defeated Congress’s V.V. Prakash by 6,854 in Thavanur.
In Kondotty, IUML’s K. Mohammedunni Haji defeated CPI(M)’s P.C. Noushad by 28,149 votes. In Eranad, IUML’s P.K. Basheer defeated CPI(M)-backed independent P.V. Anver by 11,246 votes. LDF’s official
candidate Ashrafali Kaliyath of the CPI was pushed to the fourth position after the BJP. Mr. Kaliyath got 2,700 votes. BJP candidate K.P. Baburaj got 3448 votes in Eranad.
In Nilambur, Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed defeated Thomas Mathew by 5,598 votes. In Wandoor, A.P. Anil Kumar of the Congress won by 28,919 votes. In Manjeri, M. Ummer won by 29,079 votes over P. Gouri of the CPI.
T.A. Ahamed Kabeer of the IUML won by a margin of 23,593 votes from Mankada. In Malappuram, IUML’s P. Ubaidulla won by a margin of 44,508 votes – one of the biggest victories in the State.
IUML’s K.N.A. Khader won from Vallikkunnu by 18,122 votes. In Tirurangadi, IUML’s P.K. Abdu Rabb won by 30,208 votes. In Tanur, IUML’s sitting MLA Abdurahman Randathani defeated CPI(M)’s E. Jayan by
9,433 votes. In Tirur, C. Mammootty of the IUML defeated LDF’s sitting MLA P.P. Abdulla Kutty by 23,566 votes. M.P. Abdussamad Samadani of the IUML won the Kottakkal constituency by 35,902 votes.
The LDF retained Ponnani seat after DYFI national president P. Sreeramakrishnan won by a margin of 4,101 votes.
