The loss of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Kerala civic body polls to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has come as an eye-opener for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. He had earlier said the poll results would be a referendum of his governance.

Chandy had said an incumbent government would return to power for the first time in the history of the state, and the civic body polls would be a pointer to that.

However, as votes were counted on Saturday, 7 November, the Chandy-led UDF trailed right from the start.

By the time the final results were out, the LDF, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), was the clear winner.

The civic body polls have often been termed the semi-final ahead of the state Assembly elections next year.

Polling was held for 21,871 seats in 941 village, 152 blocks and 14 district panchayats, besides 86 municipalities and six corporations.

The LDF won on 10,338 seats as against 8,846 seats for the UDF.

In the 2010 civic body polls, the Congress-led UDF had won on 65% seats, and the then ruling Left government had secured around 33% seats.

Chandy is likely to face the heat at the Congress' review meeting in the next few days.

State Congress president V M Sudheeran is also looking at testing times ahead as he was chosen for the post by the Congress high command only last year, overlooking the names suggested by Chandy and state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.

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