The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which clinched power for the first time in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation in the local body elections last month, faced a setback on Tuesday after losing a crucial bye-election, missing an opportunity to secure a simple majority in the civic body.
In the bye-election to the Vizhinjam ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, necessitated by the death of an Independent candidate before the polls, United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate K H Sudheer Khan defeated Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate N Noushad by 83 votes. While the UDF candidate secured 2,902 votes, the LDF candidate polled 2,819 votes. BJP candidate Sarvashaktipuram Binu finished third in a closely fought contest with 2,437 votes. Polling was held in the Vizhinjam ward on Monday.
The result means that the BJP, which has 50 members in the 101-member council, will have to depend on the support of Independent councillor P Radhakrishnan to enjoy a majority in the corporation. The magic figure for a simple majority is 51.
With its win in Vizhinjam, the UDF has increased its tally in the civic body from 19 to 20 seats, double the number of seats it won in the 2020 elections.
The result is also a setback for the CPI(M)-led LDF, which held the ward in the previous council. The LDF’s tally in the civic body remains at 29.
Bye-elections in two other local body wards in the state saw the LDF and the UDF share the spoils.
In the Onakkoor ward of Pampakuda panchayat in Ernakulam district, CPI(M) candidate C B Rajeev defeated Congress candidate Jose by 221 votes. The result does not alter the power dynamics in the panchayat, where the UDF controls nine of the 15 seats.
In the Payimpadam ward of Moothedam panchayat in Malappuram district, UDF candidate K Subaida defeated Independent candidate Sebina Teacher by 222 votes. The panchayat is also governed by the UDF.
