LDF wins bypolls in Ernakulam district
The Hindu
Bindu Sivan posts emphatic win in Gandhi Nagar Division
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition on Wednesday consolidated its position in the Kochi Corporation council and the Piravom Municipality by winning the bypolls held on Tuesday.
Bindu Sivan posted an emphatic win in the Gandhi Nagar Division and improved the tally of the LDF in the 74-member council. She won the election with an improved majority than that of her husband K.K. Sivan, whose death warranted the bypoll in the division.
Ms. Sivan defeated United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate P.D. Martin by a margin of 687 votes, which is almost six times the margin with which Sivan had defeated Mr. Martin during the last civic election. During the last election, Mr. Sivan had won the election by a margin of 115 votes.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists