The relatively “good showing” in the local body byelections in 28 wards across the State has buoyed the spirits of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Opposition victories notwithstanding, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) remains the dominant electoral force. It won 15 seats in the byelections held on Tuesday. The results were declared on Wednesday. As per the latest tally, the UDF won 11 of the 28 seats that were up for grabs, while two went to the BJP.
The local body by-elections are rarely a bellwether of the State’s voting pattern. However, with the Lok Sabha elections around the corner in 2024, the ruling and Opposition parties viewed the results with some gravity.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] was yet to react to the loss of six seats, including one to the BJP. An insider said, however negligible, the seat loss would naturally trigger an Left Democratic Front review. He said the often hyper-local issues and personalities dominated local body elections. Nevertheless, the indications seemed not lost on the LDF.
Notably, the LDF-aligned Kerala Congress (Mani) lost the Vayala Town ward in the Kadaplamattom grama panchayat, Kottayam, to a UDF-backed Independent, sending a signal that the outfit required to speedily shore up its arguably shaky base among the electorally influential Christian community in central Kerala.
In Kollam municipal corporation, the CPI(M) lost the Meenathuchery ward to the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), a UDF constituent.
In Kozhikode, the UDF displaced an LDF incumbent in the Kakkaramukku ward of the Cheruvannoor panchayat, cementing the Opposition rule in the local body. In Malappuram, the UDF continued its traditional dominance, winning four seats. It also increased its vote share in several localities.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the LDF defeated the UDF incumbent in the Nilakkamukku ward of the Kadakkavoor grama panchayat. The BJP defeated the CPI(M) in the Ambattubhagom ward in the Kalluppara panchayat in Pathanamthitta and retained its seat at Thaneermukkam ward in Alappuzha.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the people had sent a clear message to the LDF government. “They have reprimanded the LDF for its corruption, arrogance and oneupmanship.” He said the UDF continued its winning streak in local body bypolls.
BJP State president K. Surendran said people had sent a warning to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He said the BJP had increased its vote share and grabbed an additional seat from the LDF. He claimed the party was on a winning trajectory ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
