Left Democratic Front registers thumping win

The LDF swept the Kerala Assembly 2006 polls winning 98 seats out of the 140-member assembly.
The LDF secured 48.63 percent of the votes polled and the UDF 42.98, the difference being 5.65 percent. In 2001, when the UDF won 100 seats, the difference was 5.47 percent in its favour.
The LDF swept the Malabar region making substantial gains in its traditional 'weak link', Malappuram. The front's performance in Alappuzha and Thirunananthapuram was satisfactory. The LDF also gained in Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kollam.

CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Kerala at the head of a 19-member Left Democratic Front Ministry, on Thursday. Governor R L Bhatia administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shri Achuthanandan and his colleagues at a ceremony at the Central stadium.