THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The elections to decide the heads of corporations and municipalities in the state witnessed dramatic scenes on Monday. Both the Left and Right Fronts were affected by fortune and misfortune which resulted in electoral gains turning upside down. Some regions witnessed manhandling and dramatic protests.

In Alappuzha, a group of CPM workers protested against the leadership for overlooking CPM area committee member KK Jayamma and naming Soumya Raj as Municipal chairperson. Following this, the party leadership expelled 3 branch secretaries who led the protest. The party has also sought an explanation from 18 members.

Though the Left Front had agreed to give the post of Nedumangad vice chairman to the CPI, the CPM came up expressing dissatisfaction over the candidate. Though the contesting CPM member won, CPI accused CPM of violating etiquettes and this resulted in CPM district secretariat intervening and asking the CPM member to resign.

In Ernakulam, the UDF members rioted demanding that the Left councillors who were late for the polls at 2 pm should not be allowed to vote.

In Kannur, a group of activists, who raised a dispute in the deputy mayor election, went on to block the vehicle of Muslim League state vice president VK Abdul Khader Moulavi.

In Palakkad, a BJP member mistakenly voted for the left candidate. Following this, the BJP member got his ballot paper back. However, Congress and CPM members soon entered into the dais of the hall demanding to nullify his vote. It was later declared that Nadeshan’s vote will be nullified.

When the Left Front made an unexpected achievement in Thodupuzha by bringing the UDF rebels to its camp, the UDF retained the chairmanship in Changanassery with the support of two independent members who had won the election as rebel candidates. The UDF also retained Ettumanoor by naming a rebel as its chairperson.

In Pathanamthitta municipality, the Left Front took control of the administration by bringing the three independent members who had won as UDF rebels to their camp.