LDF retains toehold in municipalities, panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the CPM-led LDF suffered a rout in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, it fared well in all the four municipalities in the district. Interestingly, it retained them with a performance bettering even the 2020 tally. The LDF cruised to simple majority in Nedumangad and Neyyattinkara municipalities, while in Attingal and Varkala, it became the biggest coalition but ended tantalisingly close to breaching the threshold. Requiring 22 seats for a majority, LDF coasted to 29 seats (an improvement from 27 in 2020) in Nedumangad. UDF bagged 10 seats (two more), while NDA won three seats (one less). In Neyyattinkara, the LDF staged a stellar performance winning 25 seats, while the threshold for majority was 24. The left front managed to raise their seats from 18 to 25, while the UDF tally fell from 17 to 12. The NDA too saw its seats diminishing from nine to seven. In Attingal, LDF won 16 seats out of 31. Last time they had 18. UDF won seven seats (one less than 2020). NDA maintained status quo winning seven seats. As 17 seats are required for majority, the LDF will need to cobble up support from UDF or others, who have two seats. In Varkala, LDF improved its tally from 12 to 16. UDF scored six (one less). The NDA, which won 11 seats last time and has been vying to make further inroads, failed to improve its tally. It won 10 seats. However, the LDF received a big jolt in the district panchayat election. Though it pipped UDF by winning 15 seats, the waning influence was obvious. In 2020, they had won 20 seats. The UDF gave a tight fight winning 13 seats, improving upon their 2020 tally of six. The UDF retained its seats in Balaramapuram, Kanjiramkulam and Kilimanoor. It lost Palode, Vellanadu and Vellarada.
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