Six months ahead of the Assembly polls in Kerala, the ruling Left Democratic Front took a severe beating in the local body elections, losing to the Congress-led United Democratic Front in two city corporations and a majority of municipalities.
The LDF lost Kochi and Thrissur corporations but managed to retain power with a wafer-thin margin in Thiruvananthapuram and held sway over Kollam city civic body with a comfortable majority.
A distinct feature of the local body elections this time is that 50 per cent of the over 21,000 seats are reserved for women in the multi-tier local self-government bodies.
In an outcome that confirmed the trend of last year's Lok Sabha polls when the UDF won 16 of the 20 seats, the UDF is maintaining a clear edge in village, block and district panchayts as results of the two-phased polls poured in.
The Bharatiya Janata Party remained a poor third, picking up a handful of seats from all over the state including the corporations of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Thrissur.
The UDF swept the municipalities in Malappuram, Kottayam and Idukki district and also put up an impressive performance in Ernakulam, Wayanad and Kasargode.
The LDF maintained its sway in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kannur districts.
The LDF suffered a crushing blow in the prestigious Kochi corporation conceding power to UDF after a gap of 28 years. In the 74-member corporation, UDF grabbed 46 seats, the LDF got 23 seats, the BJP won 2 seats and others won 3 seats.
In neighbouring Thrissur corporation, the UDF routed the LDF, bagging 45 of the 55 seats.
The UDF trounced the ruling front in Christian and Muslim dominated areas, seen widely as a rejection of LDF's vehement campaign over issue of 'interference' of religion in politics. The UDF leaders hailed the victory as a reflection of people's "resentment" at the four and half years of LDF rule.
The LDF leaders said there was a consolidation of communal forces in favour of UDF. However, they said LDF was able to regain some of the ground lost in the last Lok Sabha polls.
Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said UDF owed its victory to the "communal campaign it unleashed" in elections. "Their victory is only temporary," he said.
