Kerala local body election results 2020 Updates: Advantage LDF as race hots up for 2021, BJP fails to make mark
Kerala Local Body Election Results 2020, Kerala Panchayat Election/Polls Results 2020 Updates: The elections, which are being seen as a precursor to next year’s Assembly polls in the state, was an opportunity for all three political fronts — CPM-led LDF, Congress-led UDF and the BJP-led NDA — to test their strength at the grassroot level.
The results from the local body elections in Kerala have firmly placed the CPM-led LDF in the driving seat with wins in more than 500 of the 941 gram panchayats, four of the six corporations, 10 of the 14 district panchayats and 112 of the 152 block panchayats. Only in the case of municipalities has the LDF conceded an edge to the UDF.
LDF’s major inroads into UDF vote-banks particularly in Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kottayam districts indicates a popular support that goes beyond the CPM’s strict cadre base.
The Congress, which had sensed an opening in the backdrop of corruption allegations against the government and the sweeping win it had in the LS polls last year, has lost a lot of ground and will find it harder to present a unified campaign in 2021.
As for the BJP, it has faced setbacks in contests to Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram corporations. At the same time, it has doubled the number of gram panchayats it holds and has added a municipality to its tally.
The elections to 15,962 wards in 941 gram panchayats, 2080 wards in 152 block panchayats, 331 divisions in 14 district panchayats, 3078 wards in 86 municipalities and 414 wards in six municipal corporations were held in three phases on December 8, 10 and 14. The overall voter turnout was 76%, only marginally lower than 77.76% in 2015.
In the 2015 polls, the CPM-led LDF won big by taking control of 551 of the 941 village panchayats, 42 of 86 municipalities, 7 of 14 district panchayats, 88 of 152 block panchayats and 4 out of the 6 corporations. The UDF came second by getting reins of 362 panchayats, 7 district panchayats, 2 corporations, 40 municipalities and 63 block panchayats. The BJP could come to power only in 14 panchayats and 1 municipality.
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