Kerala Local Body Surveys: The first leads show close competition in local body surveys.
Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala’s left-led ruling coalition and the opposition engaged in a close contest today on the first clues of local body polls seen as a litmus test for parties ahead of state assembly elections next year.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) leads 402 of the 945 Grama Panchayats or village panchayats and the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the opposition Congress in 343, making it a close fight.
Votes are being counted for seats in 941 gram panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 86 municipalities and six corporations.
By 2015, the LDF had won in most local bodies. In the district panchayats, the UDF and LDF numbered seven each.
This time, the campaign for the polls saw the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the UDF discussing the coronavirus crisis in the state and a gold smuggling case in which the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been seen. involved in accusations of corruption. The LDF has dismissed the allegations and campaigned on its development plans.
At key Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, a close triangular struggle has emerged in which the LDF leads in 20 out of 100 districts, with the BJP-led NDA in 13 and the UDF in four. By 2015, the LDF had won 42 districts and the BJP alliance had pushed the UDF to third position after winning 34 seats.
The BJP seeks to establish a foothold in the state ahead of state elections. Kerala BJP chief K Surendran says his party will emerge as the dark horse in these elections. The LDF accuses the BJP of using central agencies to attack the state government with investigations such as the gold smuggling case or the state government’s flagship housing program.
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