LDF, UDF share honours in second phase of polls

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 26. Honours appeared to be even in the second phase of the local body elections with the LDF and UDF sharing the spoils in the districts which went in for the polls.

According to reports received till evening, the Congress(I)-led UDF was ahead in Kottayam, Idukki and Wayanad while the CPI(M)- led LDF was better placed in Kannur, Kasaragod and Pathanamthitta. Of the 15 district panchayat seats to which elections were held in these districts, the UDF secured nine against six won by the LDF.

The LDF, however, was well placed in several Grama Panchayats in Palakkad, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. In Palakkad, LDF was on course to a majority in the Thrithala panchayat winning seven seats against the UDF's six.

Kottayam district, which was the focus of much media attention on account of the clandestine ties between the Kerala Congress (Mani) and the BJP, saw the KC(M) strategy paying off in the Kangazha and Pallickathode District Panchayat divisions. The other District Panchayat wards won by the UDF are Uzhavoor and Eerattupetta. The district also saw the UDF winning Pampady and Marangattupally Grama Panchayats and LDF bagging Chempu and Thalanadu.

In Kannur, the LDF continued its good performance winning two Grama Panchayats, four Block Panchayat divisions and two four the four District Panchayat divisions that went to the polls. The District Panchayat seats won by the LDF are Ezhome and Sreekantapuram and those secured by the UDF are Madayi and Alakkod.

In Pathanamthitta, LDF secured both the District Panchayat divisions that went to the polls in the second phase. It is a tie now in the Anicaud Block Panchayat with the tally of the UDF and the LDF rising to five each. However, in the Anicaud Grama Panchayat, the UDF was able to gain a marginal edge of one seat (5-4).

Elections were held on Saturday to 699 wards of different panchayats which could not go to polls in the first phase held in September.

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Section  : Southern States
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