Kerala Assembly poll: LDF holds ground in South Kerala despite UDF surge

Amid the rout that it suffered in much of North and Central Kerala at the hands of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) fared relatively better in South Kerala in the Assembly elections as the results were declared on Monday. If not for the defeat by close margins in some seats, it would have had more to show than the eleven seats it secured from the region.

In the Thiruvananthapuram district, the LDF which won 13 of the 14 constituencies in 2021, managed to retain five of the seats despite the massive wave against the LDF government. The UDF secured seven seats from the district, with the crowning glory being the victory in the traditional left stronghold Vamanapuram, where Muhammed Sudeersha S. defeated two-time MLA D.K.Murali by a margin of 12,185 votes. At Chirayinkeezhu, former MP Ramya Haridas overcame stiff opposition from within her party to wrest the seat from the CPI. Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader C.P.John secured victory in Thiruvananthapuram constituency against Sudhir Karamana of the LDF.