LDF wins with comfortable majority in City Corpn.

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 28. The CPI(M)-led LDF consolidated its position in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Council winning 51 seats in the 81-member house when the election results were announced today. The UDF secured 23 seats, the PDP two and Independents two.

The BJP which won three seats retained its strength in the council, but lost in two of its traditional strongholds. The IUML which had two members in the outgoing council failed to score in the elections.

In the Perunthanni ward, the BJP candidate, Mr. P. Ashok Kumar, was edged out by the CPI(M) candidate, Mr. Perunthanni Vijayan by a margin of 159 votes. In Vazhuthacaud, the sitting councillor and the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Vazhuthacaud Narendran of the CPI won by 714 votes against his closest rival Mr. T.V.Satheesh Babu of the BJP. The UDF nominee, Mr. U. Vikraman emerged third.

In the Pangode ward, the CPI(M) strongman, Mr. K.C.Vikraman, scraped through, defeating Vattiyoorkavu Ravi of the Congress(I) by 80 votes. The LDF suffered a setback in the Mannanthala ward when the district panchayat member, Mr. V.Ambili of the CPI(M) was defeated by the Congress(I) nominee, Ms. Vanaja Rajendra Babu by a narrow margin of 32 votes.

In the Gowreesapattom ward, the UDF candidate, Mr. M.P.Saju won by 176 votes against the LDF rival, Mr. D.R.Anilkumar. In the Kowdiar ward, the sitting councillor, Prof. Chandra of the CPI(M) retained the seat winning by 419 votes against S.Santhamma Thomas of the Kerala Congress. In the Thampanoor and Secretariat wards, the sitting UDF councillors retained their seats. In Thampanoor, the Congress(I) candidate, Mr. Satish won by 974 votes against his closest rival Sharif of the BJP, while in the Secretariat division, Mr. R. Harikumar won by 806 votes against Mr. Rajesh of the CPI.

The LDF secured almost all the new wards annexed to the Corporation from the neighbouring panchayats of Attipra, Kadakampally, Ulloor, Nemom and Thiruvallom. In Kadakampally, Mr. P. K. Gopakumar of the CPI(M) won over the UDF nominee, Mr. K. Jayachandran Nair by 324 votes. The Thiruvallom, Punchakari, Poonkulam, Pachallor, Karikkakom, Kuzhivila, Attipra, Pallithura, Cheruvakkal, Edakode and Pound Kadavu wards also went to the CPI(M). The CPI candidate, Mr. Kadakampally Sohanan won the Anamughom ward defeating his closest independent rival, Mr. Anayara Shaji by 597 votes.

The BJP lost in the traditional strongholds of Fort and Sreekanteswaram. In the Fort ward, the BJP candidate, K. Lakshmanan lost to Mr. Krishnan Potti of the Congress(I) by 107 votes while the CPI(M) candidate, Mr. Rajendra Das secured the seat for the LDF over Mr. Sasidharan Nair of the BJP. The BJP, however, secured the newly- annexed Vellar ward where its candidate, Mr. Nedumam V.Mohan won by 291 votes against Mr. M. Ahmed of the Congress(I).

The LDF and UDF scored equally in the coastal wards. The LDF captured the Vettukad ward from the UDF. The CPI(M) candidate, Augustine Leen won by 747 votes over Ms. Berbie Fernandez of the Congress(I). In Sanghumukhom, the Congress(I) candidate, Beroma Patrick won by 552 votes while the CPI(M) retained the Chackai ward by 1,137 votes. In Valiathura- Vallakadavu, Mr. Xavier Lopez of the Kerala Congress retained his seat winning by a margin of 366 votes over his closest Independent rival, Mr. M.Juseph. In Poonthura, Maria Daasi of the CPI won by 988 votes over the Congress(I) candidate, Andrews Mary.

In the Ambalathara ward, the PDP candidate, Mr. Poonthura Siraj won by 948 votes over J. Salimkumar of the CPI(M). The party also wrested the Beemapally ward from the UDF with its candidate Faiza Beevi winning over Arifa of the IUML.

The LDF lost the Medical College ward with its candidate Mr. K. K. Gireeshkumar of the CPI(M) defeated by the Congress(I) nominee, Mr. T.V.Ajithkumar. In the Kannamoola ward, the former Rishimangalam councillor, Sethulakshmy won over the Independent candidate, Asha David. The sitting councillor, Sreekumar of the Congress(I) retained the Pattom ward.

The former district panchayat president, B. Sathyan, won from the Kesavadasapuram ward by a margin of 465 votes while the LDF Independent, Vinodkumar won the Muttada seat. In the Pappanamcode ward, the CPI(M) candidate, Prof. Lalithabai won by a margin of 944 votes over her nearest rival, Mr. Mohanan of the Congress(I). In the Kalippankulam ward, the IUML leader, Mr. Abdul Rasheed was defeated by the sitting CPI(M) councillor, Mr. Krishnankutty.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Suryanelli case: two more convicts get bail
Next     : VC assures steps to popularise medical education