Kochu, 27 December(HS): The BJP sprang a surprise on Saturday by winning 30 out of 940 grama panchayats across the State as the party’s nominees were elected as the president/vice-president of these local self-government institutions to which elections were held early this month.

Mattathur Panchayat in Thrissur district saw eight members of the Congress quit en masse and form an alliance with the BJP, which has four members. The front’s presidential candidate Tessy Jose Kallarackal, who had contested as an independent was elected as the president of the panchayat.

This was announced by Shone George, Secretary, Kerala BJP, late Saturday evening after the swearing-in of the party’s nominees was held. This marks a watershed moment in Kerala’s electoral history as the Hindutva party won the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and two municipalities, Tripunithura and Palakkad.

“The BJP will not be there as also-rans but as an equally strong contender in the assembly polls. We all feel that even if BJP does not win the absolute majority mark, the party is all set to emerge as a deciding factor,” said PNS Namboodiri, former block development officer who knows the pulse of the electorate.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti