The victory of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Ramanattukara and Mukkam municipalities, two of the five newly upgraded local bodies in the district, has come as ‘surprise’ even to the winning front.
Though the local leaders of the front had anticipated a victory in the municipalities, Ramanattukara and Mukkam were not even once in their list of sure bets.
“It is true that there is an element of surprise in the victory of the front in some municipalities especially in the case of Ramanattukara,” said Elamaram Karim, CPI(M) leader in charge of the LDF campaign in the district. The front however was confident of winning a majority of the municipalities here, he said.
Of the seven municipalities in the district, the Left Front has secured a comfortable majority in at least four including Vadakara and Koyilandy, where it was in power for the last few decades. Payyoli and Koduvally are the two municipalities, where it failed to get a majority. If Koduvally municipality, where the LDF had great expectations of a comeback was lost by a margin of four divisions, Payyoli slipped away from its hands by a slight margin of two seats.
Though the front was at the helm in Mukkam, when it was only a panchayat till the election, the LDF was not quite sure of coming to power in the first municipal election due to various reasons. The front had feared that the recent delimitation was done in the UDF’s favour.
“However the people of Mukkam have rejected the politics of crookedness and dishonesty,” said V. Kunhan, LDF candidates who won from division 23{+r}{+d}of the municipality.
The front secured 22 of the 33 divisions. The rival front could win only 10 seats.
The fate of Feroke is yet to be clear with Division 35 of the municipality going for a re-poll on Monday owing to some technical problems with the EVM during the counting. The LDF has secured 18 seats in the 38-division strong municipality while the UDF has 16 to their credit.
While BJP has bagged one seat, two Congress rebels have also gained one division each. The division, where the result is awaited after the re-polling on Monday, can go either way. The final picture of Feroke municipality, however, will be decided by the rebel candidates, who chose to contest against the Congress’s official candidates.
“If they support us, nothing will stop us from coming to power in the municipality,” said Mr. Karim.
