The counting of votes in the 2020 local body elections in Kerala has started at 244 centers across the state. The results are expected to be announced in the afternoon, according to the State Elections Commission.
With all political fronts crossing their fingers, the results of the polls from the three-tier local bodies in the state are likely to be a model for the Assembly elections to be held in another four months. The elections for the local body were held in three phases on December 8, 10 and 14. The public can track electoral trends at trend.kerala.gov.in.
Here are the latest updates:
11.10 a. M.
You win something, you lose something
Kochi saw a huge surprise when NDA candidate Padmakumari defeated veteran Congressional leader N. Venugopal in the North Island constituency. Reports say that Mr. Venugopal, who was the UDF mayoral candidate, lost by a small margin.
Padmakumari, the BJP candidate, who defeated UDF leader N. Venugopal in the Island North constituency | Photo credit: H. Vibhu
The contest was viewed as a close race between Mr. Venugopal and CD Nandakumar of LDF, Secretary General of the CITU-affiliated Port of Cochin Employees Organization. In two decades, the LDF has taken the seat once, in 2010.
The senior leader of Congress, N. Venugopal, the probable UDF mayor in the Kochi corporation, who opposed it from Island North, was defeated by a narrow margin. | Photo credit: H. Vibhu
With just 649 voters, the division could be one of the smallest in the state, Mr. Venugopal had previously said.
11am
Thrissur’s BJP mayoral candidate would have been defeated
BJP state spokesman B. Gopalakrishnan, who was projected as the party’s mayoral candidate in Thrissur, reportedly lost.
The Thrissur district had supported the LDF in the 2015 local agency surveys, giving it 88 out of 111 local agencies. The NDA, however, had won six wards at Thrissur Corporation that year. As the epicenter of the Life Mission project controversy, the district witnessed a high-voltage campaign this time, making predictions impossible.
Maiden victory
VK Shiju, who gave the first victory to BJP at Kannur Corporation, was congratulated by BJP Vice President Abdulla Kutty and District President N. Haridas. He won the elections in Pallikunnu, which is a UDF seat, by 136 votes | Photo credit: special arrangement
10.45 a. M.
Another disorder in Thiruvananthapuram
AG Oleena, who was screened as one of the possible LDF mayoral candidates in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, was defeated by UDF candidate Mary Pushpam in Kunnukuzhy district.
The neighborhood, which is considered a bastion of the left, saw a tight race. This was Oleena’s first race at the polls. – SR Praveen
Meanwhile, the LDF looks poised for comfortable victory in Nedumangad township, which has been a red stronghold for 25 years. The CPI (M)-led coalition currently leads in 24 districts, while the UDF is ahead in just seven. The NDA, which had won four theaters last time, held the lead at just three. – Sarath Babu George
10.30 am
Close battle on Adoor
Of the four municipalities in the Pathanamthitta district, LDF leads by a large margin in Pathanamthitta and Thiruvalla, while the NDA has taken a slight lead in Pandalam by winning five seats. Adoor is witnessing a close battle with the UDF and LDF winning three seats each.
UDF, which has won ten districts, takes a slight lead over LDF in Changanassery Township. The NDA, meanwhile, clinches victory in a couple of seats and leads in two others. – Sarath Babu George
10.15 am
Relying on a majority LDF, says Rakhi Ravikumar
Former Deputy Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Rakhi Ravikumar, who successfully retained control of Vazhuthacaud district, seemed to trust the clear majority of LDF in the council.
“Our development work over the past five years, as well as the efforts made by the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan have increased our chances. The electorate has responded to the Opposition’s unsubstantiated accusations.” – Sarath Babu George
10 am
LDF and UDF compete for first place in Kasaragod
In Kasaragod district, LDF leads Kanhagad municipality in 11 districts, while UDF maintains leadership in 2 districts.
In Kasaragod Municipality, out of 38 districts, UDF leads in 12 districts, while NDA leads in six and others in three. In Nileswaram, both UDF and LDF are running two neighborhoods each, while in Others they are running one neighborhood.
9.45 am
Thiruvananthapuram for NDA?
NDA appears to be giving the other coalitions a tough fight in Thiruvananthapuram district. The BJP-led coalition has won 12 of the 19 seats where the count is complete. These include three in Attingal Municipality, one in Neyyattinkara Municipality, and five in Varkala Municipality.
While the UDF has won six seats, the LDF currently only has one in its kitty. – Sarath Babu George
9.30 a. M.
UDF leader in the municipalities of Malappuram
The UDF has established a clear advantage in 10 of the 12 municipalities in the Malappuram district.
People crowd in front of the Governement College in Malappuram waiting for the election results | Photo credit: special arrangement
The municipalities where the UDF leads are: Malappuram, Kondotty, Manjeri, Perinthalmanna, Tirur, Tirurangadi, Kottakkal, Parappanangadi, Valanchery and Tanur. The LDF is a leader in Ponnani. The picture is not yet clear in the Nilambur municipality. – Abdul Latheef Naha
9.15 am
NDA takes the lead in Shornur
No counting day is complete without setbacks.
In the Elamkulam division of Kochi Corporation, UDF’s Antony Painuthara defeated Poornima Narayan by a narrow margin of around 400 votes. Ms. Narayan is the past chair of the Kochi Corporation Standing Committee on Education.
Similarly, in Shoranur Township in Palakkad District, the NDA has taken an unexpected initiative. The BJP-led front leads in four seats, while the LDF leads in two at Shoranur.
9 am
LDF takes the first positions
In one hour of counting, the LDF was ahead in four Corporations and the UDF in two in the State. The UDF led in 131 grass panchayats and the LDF in 141. The NDA was ahead in 11.
The LDF was ahead by 38 block panchayats and the UDF by 15.
The UDF was ahead in 44 of the municipalities and the LDF in 30. The NDA was ahead in three municipalities.
UDF Kochi Mayor Candidate Defeated
Meanwhile, senior congressional leader N. Venugopal, the likely UDF mayor in the Kochi corporation, who opposed it from Island North, was defeated by a margin of one vote. The BJP candidate Padmakumari won the division.
8.45 am
Kudumbashree has pride of place on the voting map
Shinija NV from Pattiam grama panchayat in Kannur joined the Kudumbashree 18 years ago. She was soon appointed the secretary of her neighborhood self-help group. She rose through the ranks to become secretary of the Kudumbashree Area Development Society (ADS) and then a member of the Community Development Society (CDS).
In 2010, Shinija challenged the local body elections, won, and became chairman of the permanent development committee. Ten years later, he ran for election again, in the 12th district of the panchayat.
Like Shinija, 16,864 other women from Kudumbashree eagerly await the results of the local body’s elections on Wednesday. Kudumbashree women, in fact, make up a good portion of the 36,305 women candidates (46.5%) in the fray.
8.30 am
Early trends emerge as postal ballots are counted
The first trends emerging from various centers after the counting of postal and special votes indicated an advantage for the CPI (M) led LDF at Kozhikode Corporation, Angamaly, Thrikkakara and Thiruvanathapuram Corporation.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the lead by two seats in Palakkad municipality when the vote counting began at 8 a.m. Palakkad was the only municipality under BJP rule in Kerala in the last five years.
8.15 hours | Kozhikode
Ban orders in parts of Kozhikode
Counting in Kozhikode district will be carried out in 20 designated centers. To avoid any possibility of violence, the District Collector has issued prohibition orders in politically and community sensitive areas, all within the boundaries of the Vadakara, Nadapuram, Valayam, Kuttiyadi and Perambra police stations. It will be in effect until 6 pm on Thursday.
The Kozhikode district registered a voter turnout of 79.23%. – Biju Govind
8 am
Postal ballots are counted first
Postal ballots, including special ballots issued for COVID-19 patients and quarantined voters, are counted first. The counting of the votes registered in the electronic voting machines (EVM) will begin at 8.30 am.
The results of the panchayat grass elections are expected to come out first. The counting process is done following the COVID-19 protocols in view of the worrying COVID-19 situation in Kerala.
The State Elections Commission has urged political parties to avoid crowds during victory celebrations. -Tiki Rajwi
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