Ranni, Pathanamthitta — Congress has found a new sensation in Kerala’s political landscape as 28-year-old Aaron Bigily Panavelil swept the Pathanamthitta District Panchayat elections from the Ranni Angadi division, securing a historic and record-breaking victory.
In his debut electoral contest, Panavelil garnered a massive majority of 11,859 votes, marking the largest margin recorded in the district’s history for a Panchayat division. The young leader secured a phenomenal 21,226 votes out of 34,411 polled votes, translating to approximately 65% of the total vote share.
The scale of the victory is underscored by the fact that Panavelil’s margin alone surpassed the total votes secured by his closest rival, Prashant B Molykal of the LDF, who finished with 9,367 votes. NDA candidate Anukumar secured 3,818 votes.
The win in Ranni Angadi Division, which comprises the Angadi, Pazhavangadi, Naranammoozhy, and Vechoochira Panchayats, significantly contributed to the United Democratic Front (UDF) capturing the Pathanamthitta District Panchayat. The UDF won 12 of the 17 seats, cementing its control.
A professional with a B.Tech in Architecture from Kollam TKM Engineering College, Panavelil currently serves as the Vice President of the Professional Congress. His entry into politics follows a distinguished family legacy; both his paternal grandparents, Sunny Panavelil and Rachel Sunny, were former Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing Ranni.
Aaron Bigily Panavelil’s thumping win is being hailed by party leaders as a major turning point, signaling a clear mandate for the Congress-led UDF and setting a new high watermark for youth participation and electoral performance in the region.
