Four local body wards in Ernakulam to hold bypolls on September 28

Four wards in Ernakulam district will vote in local body by-elections on Monday, September 28, 2026, as part of polls scheduled across 38 local body wards in the State.

The wards going to the polls in the district are Ayyappankavu division (19) of Kochi Corporation, Kolencherry East ward (8) of Poothrukka grama panchayat, Puliyanam South (4) of Parakkadavu panchayat and Madaplathuruth (9) of Vadakkekara panchayat.

A total of 10,003 voters are expected to cast their votes in these interim polls, which have been necessitated for various reasons.

The results of the by-elections will be declared on September 29.

Ayyappankavu contest follows Deepak Joy’s Assembly win

The by-election in Ayyappankavu was necessitated following the election of Congress’ Deepak Joy, who was the deputy mayor of Kochi Corporation, as Thripunithura MLA.

The United Democratic Front has fielded A.K. Ajithkumar to retain the seat.

The Left Democratic Front is expecting an upset with the candidature of P.K. Usman.

K.V. Bijoy is the National Democratic Alliance candidate in the Ayyappankavu contest.

The Kochi Corporation is currently ruled by the UDF.

Kolencherry East bypoll after Twenty20 leader’s resignation

In Poothrikka panchayat, the UDF has fielded Saramma Paily Pillai against LDF’s Neethu Joyd and Twenty20’s Deenamma Jacob.

The by-election in Kolencherry East ward was necessitated following the resignation of Twenty20’s Pooja Jomon, who was also the Panchayat president.

Pooja Jomon resigned in protest against her party’s decision to join the NDA.

Twenty20 is contesting the by-election not under the NDA banner.

Alliance leaders claim this is a tactical move to retain Twenty20’s core vote base.

Poothrikka panchayat is among the local bodies currently ruled by the UDF.

Puliyanam and Madaplathuruth also in the fray

The candidates in Puliyanam East Ward of Parakkadavu Panchayat are Mallika Ravi of the UDF, Sugandhi Joshi of the LDF and Sandra Subrahmanian of the NDA.

The by-election there was necessitated by the resignation of LDF’s Raji Rajeev after getting a job overseas.

Parakkadavu panchayat is currently ruled by the UDF.

The resignation of UDF’s Sebi Puthenveettil after getting a job abroad has forced the Madaplathuruth ward of Vadakekara panchayat into the bypoll.

Vadakkekara panchayat falls in the North Paravur Assembly constituency represented by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan.

The LDF is in power in Vadakkekara.

Results unlikely to alter local body control

The by-election results are unlikely to affect the power equation in the local bodies.

The current control of the four local bodies is split between the fronts, with the UDF ruling the Kochi Corporation, Poothrikka and Parakkadavu panchayats, and the LDF in power in Vadakkekara.

The district’s four contests are part of the wider round of by-elections scheduled in 38 local body wards across the State.

The polling will take place on September 28, 2026, and counting will follow with the declaration of results on September 29.

Source: The Hindu