Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051214790300.htm

Kerala - Pathanamthitta

UDF can take solace in verdict in Pathanamthitta district

Staff Reporter

It manages to retain four out of seven seats in its stronghold

PATHANAMTHITTA: The UDF can heave a sigh of relief that it has managed to retain four of the seven Assembly segments in Pathanamthitta district in spite of the sweep by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in many other parts of the State.

The UDF retained the constituencies of Pathanamthitta, Konni, Adoor and Kallooppara while Ranni, Aranmula and Thiruvalla went to the LDF.

In the elections to the State Assembly in 1996, the UDF had won six of the seven constituencies in the district, leaving only Ranni to the LDF.

However, poll analysts say that but for the avoidable flaws in the selection of candidates, the UDF could have very well maintained the status quo by winning two more constituencies.

Jubilation processions by party workers and supporters gave a festive mood and colour to the towns in all the seven constituencies in the district on Thursday.

Pathanamthitta

District Congress Committee (DCC) president K. Sivadasan Nair considers his victory over CPI(M) rival V.K.Purushothaman Pillai as very significant in the backdrop of the strong rebellion raised by sitting MLA K.K. Nair.

Mr. K.K. Nair, who has represented the constituency for the past three decades, polled only 9,066 votes, losing even the deposit amount.

Mr. Sivadasan Nair polled 1,225 votes more than his LDF rival Mr. Purushothaman Pillai. BJP candidate A.G. Unnikrishnan polled 5,926 votes, which constitutes 7.29 per cent of the total votes polled.

Aranmula

Aranmula is another constituency where sitting MLA and UDF candidate Malethu Saraladevi of the Democratic Indira Congress(K) lost her deposit. She was placed third after Congress rebel K.R. Rajappan.

CPI(M) candidate K.C. Rajagopal, who is the CITU district secretary, won the seat by a big margin of 14,620 votes. BJP candidate Ashokan Kulanada polled 6,250 votes, constituting 8.96 per cent of the total votes polled.

Thiruvalla

The UDF paid a heavy price for the rebel menace in Thiruvalla too. LDF candidate Mathew T. Thomas of the Janata Dal won the seat by a handsome margin of 8,922 votes over his Kerala Congress(M) rival Victor T. Thomas. The KC(M) rebel, Sam Eapen, polled 14,300 votes. It is significant that the UDF polled 19,952 votes. BJP candidate Madhu Parumala polled 6,842 votes, which is 9.62 per cent of the total votes polled.

Ranni

The electoral victory of CPI(M) candidate Raju Abraham was a repeat of his performance in 1996 but with added glow. He secured a thumping majority of 14,971 votes. The UDF candidate, who is also an AICC member and a former State Planning Board member, polled only 34,396 votes. The BJP's Prasad N. Bhaskaran had polled 3,356 votes.

Kallooppara

KC(M) State general secretary Joseph M. Puthusserry retained the Kallooppara seat by defeating Cherian Philip, LDF-Independent, by a margin of 7,488 votes. P. Haridas of the BJP polled 5,300 votes in Kallooppara.

Konni

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adoor Prakash improved his margin in Konni over the LDF candidate when he defeated V.R. Sivararajn of the CPI(M) by a margin of 14,896 votes. The BJP candidate P.D. Padmakumar polled 4,264 votes.

Adoor

Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has retained the Adoor seat by a margin of 18,464 votes. He defeated LDF's D.K. John of Kerala Congress (Joseph). Mr. Radhakrishnan's margin is also the highest registered in the 7 constituencies.