The BJP put up an impressive show in the bypoll conducted to the six local bodies in the district by winning two seats in the Thripunithura municipality and retaining one seat in the Kochi Corporation.
The BJP win in Elamanathoppil and Pisharikovil seats of the Thripunithura municipality has put the ruling LDF in a precarious position as the BJP, Congress and an independent together would have a combined strength of 26 seats against the 23 of the LDF.
Valli Ravi of the BJP wrested the Elamanathoppil seat from the LDF by bagging 363 votes whereas T. Pradeesh of the CPI(M) got 325 votes and Shibu Malayail of the Indian National Congress got 70 votes.
The LDF may continue in power unless the BJP and the UDF decide to jointly move a no-confidence motion against the ruling front. The political compulsions may prevent both the BJP and the UDF from coming together to vote the LDF out of power.
In the Pisharikovil ward, the BJP candidate Rathi Raju got 468 votes whereas Sangeetha Sumesh of the CPI (M) came closer and won 452 votes. Shobhana Thampi of the Indian National Congress who was relegated to the third position got 251 votes.
However, the victory posted by Padmaja Menon in the Ernakulam South seat will leave no impact on the ruling dispensation in the Kochi Corporation as the BJP had earlier five seats in the council. It was following the death of BJP councillor Mini R. Menon that the bypoll was conducted in the division.
While Ms. Menon got 974 votes, her nearest rival Anitha S Warrier bagged 899 votes and the LDF candidate S. Aswathy got 328 votes.
N. O. Babu of the LDF won the Vembilly ward of the Kunnathunad Village panchayat while Jobi Nelkkara of the UDF won the Athani Town ward of the Nedumbassery village panchayath.
While Mr. Babu bagged 520 votes, his nearest rival Eldho Paul of Twenty20 got 381 votes and C. P. George of the Indian National Congress got 284 votes.
In Athani Town, Mr. Nelkkara got 709 votes and M. P. Antony, an independent candidate got 435 votes. The BJP candidate Joshy Poulose could get only 34 votes.
In the Myloor ward, K. K. Hussain of the Indian National Congress won the seat and bagged 647 votes whereas his nearest rival Shibu Varkey, an independent candidate came closer to him by winning 622 votes.
