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Kerala News

The New Indian Express News

Kerala / The New Indian Express

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Keralas best panchayat rejects ruling Left front

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Voters of Parassala, the states best panchayat, decided not to choose the front under which the local body attained this title in the Mission Antyodaya rankings. Ending 10 years of Left rule, the UDF has emerged as the single largest majority in the 24-member panchayat with 11 wins: 10 official and one independent candidate. With this, questions have risen about which Left council 2015 or 2020 had contributed more towards Parassalas development. Though no front has a clear majority here, two independent candidates, one each backed by UDF and LDF, are likely to favour their respective fronts. If not for any last-minute turncoats, the panchayat will be ruled by the UDF in the next tenure, despite the fronts need to gain two more seats for a comfortable majority. Claiming that people were fed up with stagnant progress in the panchayat, the UDF also evaluated that strong anti-incumbency against the previous council is evident in the results. While the 2015 council was generally good, leaders of the last council tried to take credit for their achievements without actually doing anything, a newly-elected councillor said. They back this argument, citing the failure of panchayat president Manjusmitha L, who contested to the Parassala block panchayat this year from the Parassuvaikkal block. Meanwhile, the LDF, which achieved nine wins this time, said it was not a complete failure, as the front lost in multiple wards for fewer than 50 votes, which could have been improved with more competent campaign efforts. Members of the front attribute this to the favourable trend they enjoyed throughout the state. On the other hand, the BJP was able to improve its status from two seats in 2015 and none in 2020 to three this year.

17 Dec 2025 7:37 am