Presidents, vice-presidents elected to panchayats across Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 27 (PTI) Elections to the posts of presidents and vice-presidents of district, block and grama panchayats were held across Kerala on Saturday.

Both the UDF and the LDF won control of seven district panchayats each and elected their respective presidents and vice-presidents.

In Thiruvananthapuram, LDF’s V Priyadarshini was elected president and B P Murali vice-president of the district panchayat.

In Ernakulam district panchayat, UDF’s K G Radhakrishna and Sinta Jacob were elected president and vice-president respectively.

Similarly, UDF’s Mili Mohan and K K Navas were elected president and vice-president of the Kozhikode district panchayat.

Following the local body elections, the LDF won 340 grama panchayats, 63 block panchayats and seven district panchayats.

On the other hand, the UDF emerged victorious in 505 grama panchayats, 79 block panchayats and seven district panchayats.

The BJP-led NDA won 25 grama panchayats but failed to secure a majority in any block or district panchayat.

There were 64 grama panchayats and 10 block panchayats where no political party secured a clear majority.

In some of the hung panchayats, parties such as the SDPI, Welfare Party and Twenty-20 were seen extending support to candidates of major alliances, including the UDF and the LDF, in the election of presidents and vice-presidents.

There were panchayats where independent councillors became president and vice president with the support of other major parties.

However, the Congress had issued directions to its panchayat-level leadership that any president or vice-president elected with the support of parties such as the SDPI, CPI(M) or BJP should submit their resignation.

In several panchayats, a draw of lots was adopted to select the president and vice-president as no party was able to claim a majority. PTI TBA TBA ROH