KOCHI: Even as Ernakulam district, comprising 14 constituencies threw up a few surprises, it retained its loyalty to UDF by giving the front 9 seats. UDF wrested both Perumbavoor and Angamaly from LDF this time, but lost Kochi, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha and Tripunithura to LDF.
Paravur and Kunnathunadu gave anxious moments to sitting MLAs V.D. Satheesan and V.P. Sajeendran, respectively of the Congress. At one point, Mr Satheesan was relegated to the third place, but later won with a margin of 20,634 votes. Mr Sajeendran had to be content with a margin of 2,679 votes, down from earlier margin of 8,732 votes.
BDJS candidate Hari Vijayan, in third place, secured 28,097 votes. BJP had bagged only 3934 votes in 2011 in Paravur. In Angamaly, NSU (I) president Roji M. John secured a lead of 9,186 votes. P J Babu of NDA could garner only 9,014 votes. In the last elections Jose Thettayil of JD(S) of LDF had won by a margin of 7170 seats.
In Aluva, Anwar Sadath of Congress increased margin from 13,214 votes last time to 18,835 votes this time. BJP, in third place, increased its vote share from 8264 in 2011 to 19,349 this time. In Kalamassery, V.K. Ebrahim Kunju of Muslim League increased his victory margin from 7,789 votes to 12,118 votes. BDJS got 24,244 votes in third place.
In Ernakulam, sitting MLA Hibi Eden's margin, however, came down from 32,437 votes (2011) to 21,949 votes this time. BJP, in third place, secured 14,878 votes. In Piravom, minister Anoop Jacob defeated CPM's M.J. Jacob by 6,195 votes. NDA candidate C.P. Sathyan of BDJS could secure 17,503 votes. Anoop had won in 2012 by a margin of 12,070 votes.
Thrikkakara did not spring any surprise where P.T. Thomas won. However, Mr Thomas could secure only 11,996 vote majority while sitting MLA Benny Behnan had double majority of 22,496 in 2011.
In Perumbavoor, former Ernakulam district panchayat president and Congress candidate Eldhose Kunnapilly defeated three-time sitting MLA Saju Paul of the CPM by a margin of 7,088 votes. Among other factors, the Dalit woman murder case has affected chances of Paul. E.S. Biju of BJP came third with 19,731 votes.s
