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Kerala Election Shock: CPI(M) Wins 14 Seats Without a Single Vote Cast

The CPI(M)-led LDF has secured 14 uncontested victories in Kannur district even before polling begins. These wins came after nomination papers were rejected for forged signatures and invalid proposer details. A UDF candidate claimed she was abducted and forced to withdraw her nomination, though CPI(M) denies these allegations. The Congress party has accused the ruling front of "butchering democracy" through intimidation tactics.

Key Points: CPI(M) Wins 14 Kerala Local Body Seats Unopposed in Kannur

  • LDF candidates declared winners in 11 Anthoor and Kannapuram wards without opposition
  • Nomination papers rejected due to forged signatures and invalid proposer details
  • UDF candidate claims abduction forced her nomination withdrawal
  • Congress accuses CPI(M) of butchering democracy through pressure tactics
2 min read

Kerala: CPI(M) likely to win 14 seats in local body polls

LDF secures 14 uncontested victories in Kannur local polls amid nomination rejections and withdrawal allegations, sparking democracy concerns.

"The CPI (M) had implemented dictatorship by intimidating supporters of rival candidates - Kannur DCC President Martin George"

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 24

Even before polling for the Kerala local body elections, scheduled in two phases on December 9 and 11th, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has already secured unopposed victories in 14 wards in Kannur district.

The wins come following a series of nomination paper cancellations, withdrawals, and allegations of forged signatures and coercion, leaving LDF candidates without any rivals in several wards.

Monday was the last day for withdrawal of nominations.

In Anthoor Municipality and Kannapuram Grama Panchayat alone, LDF candidates have been elected unopposed in 11 wards.

In Anthoor, five candidates claimed victory after the nomination papers of United Democratic Front (UDF) nominees in Kodalloor and Thali wards were rejected during scrutiny.

Officials cited forged signatures from proposers, who themselves confirmed the signatures were not authentic. Kannapuram Panchayat witnessed six unopposed wins for LDF, after the nomination papers of a UDF candidate in Ward 1 and a BJP candidate in Ward 8 were rejected on grounds of invalid proposer signatures.

This resulted in LDF’s Usha Mohanan and T.E. Mohanan being declared winners from their respective wards without contest.

In Ward 5 (Anchampeedika) of Anthoor, UDF candidate K. Livia withdrew her nomination, claiming she had been abducted.

The Congress alleged that the CPI (M) intimidated her into withdrawing, while the CPI (M) refuted the charge, stating that multiple UDF nominations were scrapped due to faulty documentation and misleading proposer details.

Several other wards, including Wards 13, 18, and 26, saw similar outcomes, either through rejected papers or withdrawals, effectively eliminating competition for the LDF.

In some wards, such as Morazha and Podikkundu, the UDF had not fielded any candidates at all.

The Congress has accused the CPI (M) of “butchering democracy” by using threats and pressure tactics to engineer uncontested victories.

Kannur DCC President Martin George said the CPI (M) had “implemented dictatorship by intimidating supporters of rival candidates.”

The CPI (M), however, maintains that it merely pointed out legal discrepancies in nomination documents.

As Kannur heads to the polls, the early, uncontested victories for the CPI(M) have set the stage for a politically charged election season.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
As someone from Kannur, this is nothing new. Both parties play these games during every election. But the abduction claim is really shocking if true. Hope the Election Commission investigates properly.
M
Michael C
If the signatures were indeed forged, then the nomination rejections are justified. Rules are rules - every party should ensure their paperwork is in order. No excuses for such basic errors.
S
Shreya B
Typical Kerala politics! Congress crying foul when they lose, but they do the same thing when they're in power. The real losers are the common people who don't get to choose their representatives. 😔
A
Aman W
LDF has been doing good work in Kerala, especially in health and education. If they're winning because opposition can't follow basic nomination procedures, that's not CPI(M)'s fault. People want development, not political games.
K
Kavitha C
The abduction allegation needs immediate police investigation. No political victory is worth compromising a citizen's safety and freedom. This is beyond party politics - it's about basic human rights.
V
Vikram M
Looking at this objectively - if multiple UDF nominations had faulty documentation across different wards, it shows poor preparation from their side. You can't blame CPI(M) for pointing out legal discrepancies. That's how democracy works!

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