The counting of the Kerala local body polls is currently underway with the United Democratic Front leading in the local body elections, according to initial trends. The local body polls are often seen as an indicator of how parties are faring ahead of the legislative assembly elections. Assembly elections in Kerala are scheduled next year.
The initial trends also show that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA is in tight contest with ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The Kochi Corporation North Island ward saw BJP emerge victorious by one vote. Congress’ mayoral candidate N Venugopal lost to BJP in this ward.
The local body polls in Kerala were held in three phases. The first phase held on December 8 saw a turnout of 72.67% while the second phase held on December 10 saw a turnout of 76.38%. The final phase of the polls recorded a turnout of 78.64%.
The local body polls saw an electoral battle between the ruling party Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP which is trying to gain a foothold in the state will look forward to win more constituencies to mount a challenge to the LDF government ahead of the 2021 Kerala assembly elections.
The counting of votes will be held across 244 centres in Kerala. V Bhaskaran, state election commissioner (SEC), told news agency ANI that the postal ballots and the special ballot votes will be counted before of the electronic voting machine (EVM) votes.
Section 144 has been imposed in Malappuram and in certain areas of Kozhikode and Kasargod districts ahead of the announcement of the results . It prohibits the assembly of four or more persons in an area. The prohibitory orders will remain in place from 8 pm to 8 am till December 22.
District collector K Gopalakrishnan told ANI that usage of mike after 8 pm will not be allowed except at places of worship. Kozhikode district collector Seeram Sambasiva Ras has imposed restrictions on victory celebrations in Vatakara, Nadapuram, Valayam, Kuttiady, and Perambra Police station limits in Kozhikode rural police district till 6 pm on December 16.
The campaign for the local body polls saw the LDF and BJP criticising each other over Kerala CM Pinarayi Vjiayan’s announcement of free Covid-19 vaccine, gold smuggling case and the Life Mission scam. BJP state president K Surendran on December 7 told that BJP will emerge as a ‘dark horse’ in these elections. The ruling-LDF has lashed out at the opposition alleging that the BJP is misusing central agencies for political gain.
