The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has been the biggest gainer in the bye-elections for 31 local body wards held in Kerala on NOV 20. As per the results declared by the State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, the UDF managed to bag 17 out of the wards, which indeed has improved a lot from the previous 2020 local body elections.
The bypoll contained one district panchayat ward, four blocks panchayat ward, three municipality wards and 23 grama panchayat wards. In the recent elections held in 2020, fifteen wards were under the LDF- CPM, thirteen were under the UDF, and three were under the BJP. Nonetheless, the most recent political outcomes have given the UDF four more wards, bringing the party’s tally to seventeen. At the same time, the LDF was able to win only 11 wards. The BJP continued to dominate three wards but split verdicts by winning a ward that the UDF candidate had won earlier while losing another ward to the UDF.
More importantly, the UDF’s success in the Karimannoor panchayat (Idukki), Nattika panchayat (Thrissur), Thachampara panchayat (Palakkad) has meant a sea change in power relations in these areas. Earlier, the LDF had the narrowest of margins in these local bodies, and it now loses it – a major setback its position.
These bypolls were compelled by the demise and the crossing of the floor by some of the ward members, hence the momentum for change in political sentiments. This rating indicated efficiency in the BJP’s operations in areas that are staunchly behind them, though they suffered some degree of regression.
It, therefore, mirrors increased support for the UDF, most noticeably in sitting areas where the UDF had triumphed over the LDF.
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