LDF retains sitting seat at Sreevaraham ward

T'puram: LDF retained its sitting seat in the city corporation's Sreevaraham ward by a margin of 12 votes on Tuesday. V Harikumar of CPI secured 1,358 votes, defeating BJP candidate Mini R, who secured 1,346 votes. The by-election was held following the demise of S Vijayakumar, who previously represented the ward. Congress candidate B Suresh Kumar secured 277 votes to finish third. Despite the presence of independent candidates Harikumar B and Harikumar V, who together garnered 53 votes, LDF's win over BJP was seen as a significant achievement.
Unlike other wards, the by-polls at Sreevaraham ward assumed significance as this ward will technically cease to exist in its current form in a few months along with some others when the ward delimitation exercise is completed. Incidentally, V Harikumar is also convenor of the action council, which demanded the rollback of the decision at the delimitation commission's public hearing, which was held in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
Mayor Arya Rajendran stated that the victory in the Sreevaraham ward was a setback for both BJP and UDF. "In the four by-elections held so far, BJP and Congress have raised numerous allegations against the municipal corporation. The people voted for the LDF as a strong response to these accusations. Similar to previous by-elections, BJP and Congress conducted a joint false campaign. LDF's campaign focused on the developmental and welfare activities carried out by the corporation," she said.
In addition to the Sreevaraham ward in Thiruvananthapuram, by-elections were also conducted in Kochupalli of Karumkulam grama panchayat, Pulinkode of Poovachal panchayat and Pulippara of Pangode panchayat in the district. In Kochupalli, UDF captured the CPM sitting seat. In Pulinkode, LDF took over UDF sitting seat. In Pangode Pulippara, SDPI won the UDF sitting seat.