Joy’s victory leads to by-election

The election of V. Joy as a legislator from the Varkala Assembly segment has necessitated a by-election to the district panchayat.

Mr. Joy, who trounced three-time Member of the Legislative Assembly Varkala Kahar, resigned on Saturday as member of the district panchayat representing Kizhuvilam division.

He submitted his resignation to the secretary of the district panchayat, K. Chandrasekharan Nair. “I have forwarded the resignation letter to the State Election Commission for initiating the process of by-election,” Mr. Chandrasekharan told

The Hindu .

Mr. Joy had won the Kizhuvilam division defeating Congress nominee N.V. Viswanathan Nair, block president of the party, by a margin of 1,892 votes.

Earlier offices held

He had served as chairman of People’s Plan Working Group in the district panchayat. He had also served as president of Azhoor panchayat.

Though the by-election results to the district panchayat will not alter the power position in the district panchayat, for the Left Democratic Front, (LDF) winning the seat could be a tad difficult as the Congress has a considerable base in the division.

But after the resounding victory in the Assembly elections, the Left workers are confident of an easier victory here.

In the present district panchayat committee, the LDF has 19 members, United Democratic Front, 6, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, 1.