UDF retains Kinavoor

Thiruvananthapuram: UDF retained their sitting seat in Kinavoor ward bypolls in Thiruvananthapuram with Congress candidate K. Seelas winning the seat with the majority of 733 votes when the results were announced on Friday.  UDF got 2,047 votes, LDF 1,314 votes and BJP 1,120 votes. The polling percentage at Kinavoor was only 55.22 percent. Of the 8115 voters, 4481 voters turned up. 2263 out of 4275 female voters and 2218 out of 3840 male voters voted.

In the corporation election held in 2015, Mr Seelas was a CPM rebel and had come second behind the winner Vimal Kumar K C. The election was held following the death of Mr Vimal Kumar. 

One of the factors for the victory was also due to the popularity of Seelas, who has earlier worked as CPM branch secretary and local committee member. He was also very active in tailors’ unions.

 One of the factors which were in play at the elections was the Sabarimala issue and many believed that NSS which had a sizable presence in the ward which traditionally favoured the Congress would have favoured the BJP.  This many felt would have made a dent in the Congress votes. CPM was hoping that they could win by galvanising its traditional votes.

The dilapidated condition of main Muttada road which was one of the lifelines of the ward was one of the important campaign issue raised by both LDF candidate Arun M. who is a DYFI leader and BJP candidate A Sanilkumar.