Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 16 (IANS): Despite facing a host of controversies ahead of the Kerala civic body polls, as counting of votes reached midway on Wednesday, the ruling CPM-led LDF is ahead of its rivals and appears to be consolidating its position.

The opposition Congress-led UDF, which initially was seen putting up a better show in the first round of counting that began at 8 a.m., appears to have slightly dimmed, while the hype created by the BJP is yet to catch on.

The shocker came at the Kochi corporation, where the Congress's mayoral candidate N. Venugopal lost by just one vote to the BJP and for the Left there was one in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation when incumbent mayor K. Sreekumar had to bite the dust.

In the three-tier local body structure, trends indicate that in the six corporations in the state the Left is clearly ahead in Kollam and Kozhikode and UDF appears to do well in Kochi and at Kannur and Thrissur, it's a neck and neck fight between the UDF and the Left, while at Thiruvananthapuram it remains to be seen if the Left will be able to make it on its own.

In the municipalities, the Left has managed to edge forward and is leading in 41, while the UDF, which initially led, has gone down and leads in 39 and the BJP in 4.

When it comes to the 14 districts, the Left is leading in 10 and the UDF in four. While in the Block Panchayats, the Left is ahead in 103, the UDF in 48 and the BJP in one. In the Gram Panchayats, the Left is ahead in 488 and the UDF in 379 while the BJP in 23. The final results are expected by late afternoon.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who was spotted at the Kannur airport and appeared to be in high spirits as he can now breathe easily and is expected to meet the media here later in the evening.