BJP inches toward Thiruvananthapuram majority as independents hold the balance
BJP inches toward Thiruvananthapuram majority as independents hold the balance
BJP leads in Thiruvananthapuram with 50 of 101 wards, two independents poised to decide the next administration.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the BJP is on the cusp of a historic breakthrough in the city corporation elections, securing 50 of 101 wards as counting nears completion. The halfway mark is 51 seats, making the outcome highly contingent on gains from two independent candidates who have emerged as kingmakers.
Sudheesh Kumar, who contested Poundkadavu ward as a rebel UDF candidate, won as an independent with 2,250 votes, according to the Kerala State Election Commission. The coalition had nominated an IUML candidate in that ward, who finished fourth.
Pattur Radhakrishnan won the Kannammoola ward by 362 votes, securing a total of 1,215 votes, as per the SEC data. Radhakrishnan is a former proofreader at Kerala Kaumudi and has a controversial history, including a 2019 harassment allegation against a woman journalist and her family. He was arrested and temporarily suspended as secretary of the Press Club following protests by women journalists but was later reinstated and has since been elected president of the Press Club multiple times.
The election landscape shows the LDF taking 29 wards and the UDF 15, underscoring a dramatic shift from the CPM's long-standing dominance in this corporation. As votes continue to be tallied, the independents’ support will determine whether the BJP can form the next administration in the city.
With these developments, Thiruvananthapuram stands at the edge of a significant political reshuffle, and residents await the final verdict on who will steer the corporation in the coming term.
Cover image source: All three political fronts expect improved showing in Thiruvananthapuram 🔗
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