The New Indian Express News

Kerala local body polls: LDF wrests Pandalam from NDA, BJP loses Kulanada panchayat after 15 years

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has captured the Pandalam municipality, ending the National Democratic Alliances (NDA) control, in a significant political shift in central Pathanamthitta. Of the 34 wards, the LDF won 14 seats, the United Democratic Front (UDF) secured 11, while the NDA was reduced to nine. In another setback for the BJP, the party also lost power in neighbouring Kulanada panchayat, where it had been in control for the past 15 years. Here, the LDF won eight wards, while the NDA and Others secured four wards each, and the UDF managed to win just one ward. Pandalam, a municipality long shaped by the political and religious undercurrents linked to the Sabarimala temple, had been a key BJP stronghold in south Kerala. The party came to power there in the aftermath of the 2018 Sabarimala agitation, making it its sole ruling municipality in the region. This time, the BJP pinned its hopes on the Sabarimala gold plate controversycentered on allegations of missing temple materialto once again consolidate Hindu sentiments. However, the strategy failed to yield the desired results. The polls also saw several nail-biting contests. In Mulampuzha ward, NDA candidate Sreelekha K R scraped through by a margin of just two votes, polling 260 votes against CPM candidate Preetha S Nairs 258. In Muttar ward, CPM candidate Shibina Basheer won by the slimmest of margins, securing 204 votes, just one more than Congress candidate Vatsalakumari K L, who polled 203. SDPI candidate Aneesh P S got 169 votes, while BJPs Ganga Teacher finished with 105. Thonnalloor South witnessed a comfortable win for Congress candidate Haseena S., who polled 196 votes to defeat BJPs Lakshmi Krishnan (182). SDPI candidate Tasni Hussain secured 181 votes, while CPMs Lasitha Teacher finished with 138. The winning margin there was 14 votes. In Muttar West, CPMs Mohanadas emerged victorious with 276 votes, edging past Congress candidate Rahul Raj, who polled 268. BJP candidate Soumya Santhosh came third with 160 votes. The margin of victory was eight votes.