LDF to helm most panchayats & municipalities in Kerala

to the post of president and vice president of various panchayats and municipalities were held across districts on Wednesday. While the process was peaceful in most places, sporadic incidents of violence were reported in a few places due to infighting.
In Alappuzha, in the wake of strong protest from a section of party workers over the municipality chairperson post, CPM decided to divide the tenure of chairperson.According to sources, Eravukadu councilor Soumya Raj and CPM area committee member K K Jayamma will share the chairperson post for two and half years each.
In Pathanamthitta district, LDF had a clear domination as it came into power in 32 of 53 grama panchayats. In Ranni grama panchayat, LDF won the president election with the help of BJP members and KC (M) Jose group’s Shobha Charly became the president. However, a section of party workers were against the decision. Meanwhile, Reshma Mariam Roy, 21, of CPM became the youngest head of a local body in the country as she took charge as president of Aruvappulam grama panchayat.
In Kottayam, LDF put up a good show by assuming power in the district panchayat, 10 block panchayats and 50 grama panchayats. Nirmala Jimmy of KC (M) Jose group would be the president for the first two years. In Uzhavoor panchayat in Kottayam, Johnys P Stephen of One India One Pension movement took charge as the president. UDF decided to support him for the first half of the five-year period.
Meanwhile, in Idukki district panchayat, CPI district council member Gigi K Philip was elected the president. Election to Idukki block was postponed to Thursday due to unfilled quorum. The Left front wrested its power in 29 of 52 grama panchayats in the district.
In Thrissur, dramatic scenes were witnessed during the election of president and vice president in Avinissery panchayat. LDF nominees, A R Raju and Indira Jayakumar, who were elected president and vice president of the panchayat with the support of UDF, announced their resignation soon after swearing-in irking UDF members.
In Malappuram, UDF wrested power in the Left citadel of Elamkulam panchayat, the birthplace of veteran Communist leader and first elected CM of the state, late EMS Namboodiripad ending four decades of Left rule through draw of lots in the president election held on Wednesday. UDFs C Sukumaran was elected as panchayat president.
In Wayanad, UDF won the district panchayat in the draw of lots. Baby Balakrishnan of the CPM was elected the president of Kasaragod district panchayat. P P Divya of CPM was elected the president of Kannur district panchayat.