The Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) shared the gains in byelections held in seven local body wards in Palakkad district. Both fronts wrested one seat from each other while retaining the rest of their seats. In Chittur-Thattamangalam municipality’s Paruthikkavu ward, the LDF candidate won after he and the UDF candidate polled 433 votes each. The result was decided by a draw, with CPI(M) candidate V. Thulasidharan emerging as the winner over Congress candidate K. Madhu. BJP candidate Pramod R. Gopal received 28 votes.
The LDF retained the Pallassana division of the Palakkad district panchayat. CPI(M) candidate Ponnukkuttyan received 21,419 votes, while Congress candidate Pratheesh Madhavan got 10,823 and NDA candidate L. Nirmal Kumar got 3,856. The LDF’s victory margin rose to 10,596 votes, compared with 7,085 in the previous election.
The LDF also won the Athipotta division of Alathur block panchayat, which was held by the UDF. CPI(M) candidate Rekha Santhosh received 3,538 votes against 2,748 for Indian Union Muslim League candidate A. Roobiya. BJP candidate Vrinda received 1,061 votes. The LDF won by 790 votes.
The UDF took the Ragam Corner ward of Sreekrishnapuram grama panchayat from the LDF. Congress candidate P. Girishan polled 504 votes, while CPI(M) candidate M. Babu got 456 votes and BJP candidate T. Shambasivan got 127 votes. The UDF’s majority was 48 votes. The CPI(M) had won the ward by 43 votes in the previous election.
The LDF retained Ward 9 of Pattanchery grama panchayat. LDF-backed independent candidate Bindukumari received 533 votes, while Congress candidate Sukanya Radhakrishnan got 515 votes and BJP candidate B. Shalini got 21 votes. The LDF won by 18 votes. Its majority in the previous election was two votes.
In Karimba grama panchayat, the UDF retained Ward 13, Vettam. IUML candidate A.A. Abdul Jaleel received 692 votes against 357 for CPI(M) candidate Mohammed Ashraf and 187 for BJP candidate O.R. Sivan. The UDF’s majority was 335 votes, up from 327 in the previous election.
The LDF also retained the Hemambika Nagar division of Malampuzha block panchayat. CPI(M) candidate M. Thoushika received 2,312 votes, while Congress candidate Surabhi Unnikrishnan got 1,485 votes and BJP candidate C. Aswathy got 671 votes. The LDF won by 827 votes, compared with a majority of 675 in the previous election.
The byelections were held following vacancies caused by resignations or deaths of sitting members. The Athipotta division fell vacant following the resignation of IUML member K.M. Shameera after she obtained a government job. In Paruthikkavu, the election followed the resignation of councillor Sumesh Achuthan, who was Chittur-Thattamangalam municipal chairperson. He later won the Assembly election from Chittur with a slender margin.
The Ragam Corner seat became vacant after CPI(M) member Sujith resigned, while the Pattanchery and Hemambika Nagar elections followed the deaths of sitting members.
Published – September 29, 2026 07:23 pm IST
