KALPETTA: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) registered its third successive win in the elections to the 25-member Kalpetta municipal council. Before Kalpetta panchayat was upgraded as a municipality, the CPI(M)-led alliance was in control of the region.

In Wayanad district, considered a bastion of the United Democratic Front (UDF), Kalpetta municipality had remained a source of political support for the LDF. The LDF win was not unexpected, especially after the Congress split and the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) entered into an electoral alliance with LDF in the Kalpetta municipality.

In the elections on September 26 the results of which were announced on Tuesday, the LDF won 15 divisions and the UDF 10. This is an improvement on the political equations in the last municipal council with just one seat separating the two fronts - the LDF had 11 members and the UDF10 (it was 21-member council).

The post of Chairperson of the municipality has been reserved for woman. Jisha Bindu, who contested as an LDF-independent, considered a favourite for the post in case of an LDF win, was defeated by K.Geeta, a BJP activist, who contested as an Independent with UDF backing.

The comfortable win posted by the LDF this time is attributed to the support it received from DIC(K).

The party position in the new municipal council is:

CPI(M) 8, CPI(M)-Independent 1; CPI 1; DIC(K) 2; Janata Dal 3; Congress 4; UDF-backed Independents 2, Indian Union Muslim League 4. The new members of the municipal council are: M.B. Babu, C.K. Sivaraman, C.K. Abu, E.K. Vijayan, D. Rajan, Vineetha, K.T. Babu and P.R. Nirmala (CPI-M); P. Chathukutty (CPI-M Independent); Pushpa and Prema (DIC-K); T. Mony (CPI); T.K. Achuthan, U.A. Khader and K.B. Rajendra (Janata Dal); Jalthrude Chacko, Sosamma, K. Jose and K.K. Rajendran (Congress); K. Umaiba, Mattummel Mohammed and M.P Hamsa, Aysha (IUML); A.P. Hameed and K. Geeta (UDF-Independents).

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