The Palakkad municipality continued to be in the State’s political focus when the Bharatiya Janata Party came back to power here with a clear majority. It won 28 out of the 52 seats in a keenly contested triangular fight in Palakkad, improving its position by four seats from 24 in 2015.
The BJP, being the single largest party in spite of having no majority, had ruled the Palakkad muncipality for five years from 2015. “This election of ours is people’s acknowledgement of the development activities we initiated,” said BJP State general secretary C. Krishnakumar and district president E. Krishnadas.
UDF’s dismal show
The triangular fight and the rebel menace reduced the United Democratic Front (UDF) to 14 seats from 18 in 2015. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) too had to be content with eight seats. It had eight seats in the last term as well. When the Welfare Party of India (WPI) retained its one seat, LDF-supported Independent candidate M. Mohammed Basheer defeated UDF convener P. Balagopal in Olavakkode South.
However, Congress’s rebel candidate K. Bhavadas was elected from Kallepulli South by defeating UDF candidate. His victory has inflicted a severe blow to the Congress, especially as it had strived hard to ensure his defeat.
Among the prominent winners here are outgoing chairperson Prameela Sasidharan, BJP district president E. Krishnadas, BJP national council member N. Sivarajan, and BJP Palakkad-Thrissur zone secretary Nadesan Kunnumpurath.
Outgoing vice-chairman’s wife Mini Krishnakumar survived campaigns of personal vendetta. Although Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader T.A. Abdul Azeez lost to Welfare Party’s M. Sulaiman in Vennakkara South, the IUML could retain four seats as in the last term.
The UDF loss in Palakkad is the loss of the Congress. The rebel issue had been projected as a thorn in the UDF’s path to victory.