Outgoing Chairperson Prameela Sasidharan offers sweets to newly elected Palakkad Municipal Chairperson P. Smithesh after the swearing-in ceremony on Friday. | Photo credit: KK Mustafah
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday retained control of the Palakkad municipality for the third consecutive term as its chairman candidate P. Smithesh defeated the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidates.
Mr. Smithesh was elected municipal chairman with 25 votes, while UDF candidate Shajo John got 19. In the first round of elections, LDF candidate Radhakrishnan got 10 votes, including one from independent councilor Rasheed, a UDF rebel.
Nine LDF councilors boycotted the last round of elections. BJP’s T. Baby was elected as the vice-chairman who got 25 votes while UDF candidate Rizwana got 18. Independent member Rasheed voted for the UDF candidate in the last round.
Late arrival
However, UDF councilor Prasob was not allowed to vote as he came late to vote. When he came to the assembly hall, the BJP councilors protested, after which the returning officer asked him to leave the hall.
The BJP has 25 members in the 53-member municipal council, while the UDF has 18 and the LDF nine. In 2015, the party secured 24 seats in the 52-member assembly. In 2020, it increased its number to 28.
However, the BJP fell two seats short of the majority this time. Nevertheless, as the party with the largest number of representatives, it will continue to rule the municipality.
No LDF-UDF connection
Although there were discussions between the UDF and the LDF to join hands to oust the BJP from power, the proposal did not materialize as the state leadership on both fronts did not support it.
Chairman P. Smithesh and Vice Chairman T. Baby were sworn in after the election. Several BJP leaders, including the party’s state vice-president C. Krishnakumar and Palakkad East district president Prasanth Sivan, attended the event.
Published – 26 Dec 2025 20:43 IST
