While the Left Democratic Front (LDF) got an upper hand in the district panchayat here, the LDF and the United Democratic Front (UDF) equally shared the block panchayats in the district, four each, and the UDF bagged more grama panchayats in the local body elections held on December 8. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) improved its tally in the three-tier local bodies.
In the 35-seat Thodupuzha municipality, UDF got 13, LDF 12, NDA 8, and Independents 2. In Kattappana municipality, out of 34 seats, UDF got 22, LDF 9, NDA 2, and Independent 1.
Of the 16 seats in the district panchayat, the LDF won10 and the UDF 6. In the 52 grama panchayats, UDF got 27 and LDF 25. The Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)]factions led by Jose K. Mani (LDF) and P.J. Joseph (UDF) got two seats each in Thodupuzha and Kattappana municipalities. However, in the grama panchayats many seats were won by the Jose K. Mani faction which had recently joined the LDF.
The NDA got four additional seats compared to the last local body elections. In the last local body election, NDA won 33 seats, including in Thodupuzha and Kattappana municipalities. This time it got 37 seats in the two municipalities and in various grama panchayats.
Blank for AIADMK
The ruling party in Tamil Nadu, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK), drew a blank in the the district. The AIADMK, which contested in 10 grama panchayats had fielded 66 candidates, including one in district panchayat and seven in block panchayats.
The party contested at Vattavada, Chinnakanal, Marayur, Kanthalloor, Devikulam and Pallivasal grama panchayats in Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks, in addition to Vandiperiyar, Upputhara, Peermade, and Elappara panchayats in Peerumade taluk.
The block panchayats won by the UDF are Adimaly, Elamdesam, Idukki and Thodupuzha and those bagged by the LDF are Azhutha, Devikulam, Kattappana and Nedumkandam. In the 2015 elections, the UDF won 11 divisions in the district panchayat and the LDF, 5. In block panchayats, the UDF got 6 seats and the LDF, 2.
