The LDF candidate defeated the UDF nominee in the election held in the Thillankeri division of the district panchayat on Friday.
The election in the division was postponed following the death of the then UDF candidate, Georgekutti Irumbukuzhi, during the local body elections recently.
LDF candidate and CPI(M) district committee member, Benoy Kurian, won the seat with a majority of 6,980 votes.
He defeated Linta James of the UDF.
A total of 64.45 per cent of the voters cast their votes. Of the total 32,356 votes polled, Mr. Kurian received 18,687 votes while Ms. James managed to garner 11,707 votes, followed by K. Jayaprakash of the BJP, who got 1,333 votes.
Thillankeri is currently the sitting seat of the UDF and the defeat is a huge setback to the front which was expecting a win here.
Lead in local bodies
The LDF took the lead in all the panchayats. This is the first time the LDF has taken the lead in Ayyankunnu panchayat, a UDF stronghold.
With this win, the total strength of the LDF has gone up in the district panchayat to 17 out of 24 seats.
