2015 Kerala local elections

Elections to local bodies (Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations) in Kerala were held in two phrases, on 2 and 5 November 2015.[2] The Left Democratic Front (LDF) won more than half of all gram panchayats and municipalities, and both they and the United Democratic Front (UDF) won majorities in seven out of fourteen district panchayats each. The LDF also won two corporations, the UDF won one, and the remaining three had no overall majority.[3][4][5]

2015 Kerala Local Elections
2, 5 November 2015
1199 of 1200 local bodies in Kerala [lower-alpha 1]
Turnout77.7% (%)
Alliance   LDF   UDF   NDA
Percentage 37.4% 37.2% 13.3%
Grama Panchayat 549 365 14
Block Panchayat 90 61 0
District Panchayat 7 7 0
Municipality 44 41 1
Corporation 4 2 0

Background

Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 made provisions for the creation of local bodies at the village, block and district levels. The Kerala Municipalities Act, 1994 made provisions for the creation of municipalities and corporations.[6]

In total, Kerala has 1200 local self-governing bodies – 941 gram panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 87 municipalities, 77 taluks, and 6 corporations.[7]

Parties and coalitions

There are three major political coalitions in Kerala. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) is the coalition of left wing and far-left parties, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). The United Democratic Front (UDF) is the coalition of centrist and centre-left parties led by the Indian National Congress. The National Democratic Alliance is led by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.

Campaign

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the election results would be a verdict on his government. Former Chief Minister A. K. Antony cited that the local body elections were the semifinals to the forthcoming 2016 elections. Allegations of the finance minister of the state K. M. Mani accepting bribes from bar owners was made a focal point of the campaign by opposition parties.[8]

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) forged an alliance with SNDP in a bid to win the Ezhava community votes. UDF had rebel candidates in various panchayats and municipalities.[9][10] Twenty20, an organisation backed by Kitex Group contested in Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat.[11]

Vote Share by alliance[12]

  LDF (37.4%)
  UDF (37.3%)
  NDA (13.3%)
  Other (12%)

Result
Districts Voter Turnout[12]
District wise map of Kerala District Percentage
Kasaragod 77.6
Kannur 78.9
Wayanad 81.5
Kozhikode 80.1
Malappuram 79.7
Palakkad 78.9
Thrissur 76.5
Ernakulam 78.5
Idukki 79.7
Kottayam 78.3
Alappuzha 79.7
Pathanamthitta 72.5
Kollam 74.9
Thriuvananthapuram 71.9
Kerala 77.8

Local Body Wise Results

[13]

2015 Kerala local body elections
Local self-government body Local Bodies won Total
LDF UDF NDA Others
Gram Panchayats 549 365 14 13 941
Block Panchayats 90 61 0 1 152
District Panchayats 7 7 0 0 14
Municipalities 44 41 1 0 87
Corporations 4 2 0 0 6

Ward-Wise Results
2015 Kerala local body elections
Local self-government body Wards won Total
LDF UDF NDA Others
Gram Panchayats 7,623 6,324 933 1,078 15,962
Block Panchayats 1,088 917 21 53 2,076
District Panchayats 170 145 3 4 331
Municipalities 1,263 1,318 236 259 3,122
Corporations 196 143 51 24 414
Municipal Corporations
District Corporation Wards won Total Alliance in majority
LDF UDF NDA Others
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram 43 21 35 1 100 Hung
Kozhikode Kozhikode 50 18 7 0 75 LDF
Ernakulam Kochi 23 38 2 11 74 UDF
Kollam Kollam 36 16 2 1 55 LDF
Thrissur Thrissur 23 21 6 5 55 Hung
Kannur Kannur 26 27 0 2 55 Hung

Aftermath

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V. M. Sudheeran said that the results show that the UDF base had not been affected much.[14] BJP state president V. Muraleedharan stated that it was impossible to fight an election in Kerala without taking their alliance into account.[3]

Twenty20 won 17 of 19 seats in Kizhakkambalam gram panchayat, thereby becoming the first corporate-ruled local body in Kerala.[15]

A Indian National Congress candidate for Mananthavady municipality, who was the Congress District Committee secretary, committed suicide after coming in third place.[16]

See also

Notes
  1. Mattanur municipality elections are held in a different cycle, hence elections to this municipality were not held in 2015.[1]

References
  1. "Explained: How has Kerala planned its three-tier local body elections?". The Indian Express. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  2. "Local body polls in Kerala to be held on November 2 and 5". The Hindu. 2015-10-04. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  3. "BJP scores as LDF wins Kerala local elections". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  4. "Kerala civic polls: LDF leads in 43, UDF 42 local bodies". India.com. 2015-11-07. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  5. "LSGI Election - 2015".
  6. "Business – Kerala Legislature". www.niyamasabha.org. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  7. "Local Self-Governance – Government of Kerala, India". kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  8. "Kerala Taking a Left Turn". Economic and Political Weekly: 7–8. 2015-06-05.
  9. "Poll result means a lot for both fronts, BJP". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  10. "Panchayat polls: Rebel threat worries UDF".
  11. K, Nidheesh M. (2020-01-19). "Inside India's first corporate panchayat". mint. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  12. Election report, 2015 (PDF). Thiruvananthapuram: State Election Commission, Kerala. 2016. pp. 24, 55, 56.
  13. "Local Body Elections Kerala – Trend 2015". lbtrend. State Election Commission, Kerala. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  14. "UDF base not affected that much: Sudheeran". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  15. Shyam, P.V. "First corporate to fight polls sweeps Kerala panchayat". The Times of India. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  16. Vijayakumar, V.O. "Wayanad DCC secy P V John found hanging in party office". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
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