SDPI singes League, increases tally from 1 to 8 wards in Kasaragod

For once, the UDF was dragged down by the poor performance of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in Kasaragod.
The SDPI polled 828 votes and the Welfare Party of India 232 votes, and Kabeer lost to LDF Shanavas Padoor by 139 votes.
The SDPI polled 828 votes and the Welfare Party of India 232 votes, and Kabeer lost to LDF Shanavas Padoor by 139 votes.

KASARGOD:  For once, the UDF was dragged down by the poor performance of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in Kasaragod. The IUML was particularly singed by infighting, rebel candidates, and other Muslim-centric parties such as the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the Popular Front of India (PFI).

From just one ward in Manjeshwar’s Machampady in 2015, the SDPI won in eight wards, including one division in Manjeshwar block panchayat one ward in Nileshwar municipality. But the cruellest cut the SDPI delivered was ensuring the defeat of T D Kabeer, the IUML’s candidate, in the Chengala division of the district panchayat. The defeat cost the UDF the control of the district panchayat. 

The SDPI polled 828 votes and the Welfare Party of India 232 votes, and Kabeer lost to LDF Shanavas Padoor by 139 votes. “You can say our presence in Chengala led to the defeat of the UDF candidate. Because if we had not fielded a candidate, those votes would have gone to the UDF,” said Abdul Salam, the district president of the SDPI.In the Edneer division, the UDF’s presidential candidate Shahina Saleem lost to the BJP’s M Shailaja Bhat by 1,457 votes. 

In the 15-member Manjeshwar block panchayat, the UDF got only six divisions, down from nine in 2015. But the BJP gained two divisions to emerge as a joint contender with the IUML. Here, the SDPI snatched one division from the IUML.The IUML was hit hard by rebel candidates and infighting in Chengala, Kumbla, Mogral Puthur, Kumbadaje, Manjeshwar, and Vorkady gram panchayats. The IUML’s poor show led to the LDF snatching Udma and Valiyaparamba gram panchayats from the UDF.

BJP’s baffling performance 
A macro look at the BJP’s performance will tell that it has performed better, increasing seats in Manjeshwar block panchayat and Manjeshwar, Kumbla, and Mogral Puthur gram panchayats where the IUML is the main contender.The Congress, the smaller partner in the UDF, put up a better show in the hill panchayats. 

CPM emerges the winner
The CPM has emerged the clear winner in the local body election. The party’s district secretary M V Balakrishnan made some deft moves and all of them paid off to help the LDF win the District panchayat.

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