LDF regains power in Kerala, BJP opens account

Thiruvananthapuram

LDF won 91 of the 140 assembly seats at stake. The result of Wadakkancherry is yet to be declared officially where UDF candidate Anil Akkara has won by a margin of just three votes.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 85 seats on its own and another six by independents fielded by the opposition front V S Achutanandan, the face of the LDF campaign and CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, Thomas Issac, E P Jayarajan and actor Mukesh are among prominent winners in the LDF.

BJP’s leader and former Union minister O Rajagopal won from Nemom by defeating CPM MLA V Sivankutty by a margin of 8,671 votes.

Though senior BJP leaders like state president Kummanam Rajasekharan and former president V Muraleedharan, were among the prominent losers, the fact that the party managed to enter the assembly for the first time is itself politically significant. Cricketer Sreesanth failed to impress in his debut outing in the poll and secured only 34,764 votes.

Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had to bite the dust with a meagre 46 seats. The UDF could manage 12 seats in Malappuram, the stronghold of IUML, a key partner of the Front and also in Ernakulam where it won nine seats.  LDF made massive inroads in Thrissur, Kannur, Kozhikode, Kollam, Alapuzha and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

Main winners

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy elected from Puthuppally in Kottayam district

Former Finance Minister K M Mani wins from Pala

CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan elected from Dharamadom in Kannur district

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala (Congress) wins from Haripad

CPM veteran V S Achutanandan wins from Malampuzha