LDF Independent Candidates Secure One Vote and Zero Votes in Palakkad Local Polls
In a series of unexpected outcomes in the recent local body elections in Kerala, independent candidates supported by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) have recorded remarkably low vote counts in two municipalities within the Palakkad district.
In the Kuntipuzha ward (Ward No. 1) of Mannarkkad Municipality, Firoz Khan, an independent candidate backed by the LDF, managed to secure only a single vote. Khan had contested under the ‘TV’ symbol. The selection of the candidate for this ward was reportedly a last-minute decision, which may have contributed to the poor performance.
Allegations also surfaced regarding an understanding between the LDF and the Welfare Party in this ward. The Welfare Party candidate, Siddique Kuntipuzha, received a significant 179 votes. Another independent candidate secured 65 votes, while the BJP candidate garnered 8 votes. Ultimately, K.C. Abdul Rahman of the Muslim League, representing the United Democratic Front (UDF), emerged victorious in the ward with 301 votes.
The trend of low LDF independent candidate votes continued in the 12th division of Pattambi Municipality. Abdul Kareem, another LDF-backed independent who contested under the ‘ring’ symbol, shockingly received no votes at all. Similar to Mannarkkad, allegations of an LDF-Welfare Party understanding were also raised in this division. T.P. Usman, the Muslim League candidate from the UDF, secured the win in Pattambi’s 12th division.