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Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has achieved a resounding victory in the Kerala local body elections. This victory signals a major shift in the state’s politics and is a clear indication of public discontent against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) ( LDF ) ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. The UDF registered significant wins in municipal corporations, municipalities, block panchayats, and gram panchayats. This victory is expected to inject new energy into the alliance.
AAP Also Makes its Mark in Kerala Local Body Elections
BJP Achieves Historic Victory in Thiruvananthapuram
In a significant development in the state’s electoral history, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) captured the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. This ended the CPM’s four-decade rule over the state capital’s municipal corporation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the victory a ‘turning point in the state’s politics’ and credited the party’s grassroots workers. This victory paves the way for the BJP to have its first mayor in Kerala. Retired DGP R Sreelekha is considered a strong contender for the post.
Ruling LDF Suffers Major Setback
The results are seen as a major setback for the ruling LDF. It lost control of four out of five municipal corporations, including Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. The LDF had ruled Thiruvananthapuram for 45 years and Kollam for 25 years. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan acknowledged the unexpected results and promised a thorough review of the party’s strategies. CPM state secretary MV Govindan termed it an ‘unexpected setback’ but said the party would learn from its mistakes and move forward. UDF’s campaign based on grassroots issues successful
It is worth noting that the UDF’s campaign in these elections focused on issues such as the gold smuggling case in Sabarimala and the failures of the government. This garnered support from voters in both cities and villages. The alliance secured a strong lead in 54 out of 87 municipalities, 4 out of 6 municipal corporations, and the three-tier panchayat system. Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge termed it a “decisive and encouraging acceptance of people-centric politics.” Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal called it the people’s verdict against the LDF’s “corrupt, dictatorial, and anti-people government.”
Speculation intensifies after BJP’s performance
Following the BJP’s victory in Thiruvananthapuram and its improved performance in several other parts of Kerala, discussions about major changes in the state’s politics have begun. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar claimed that the party received more than 20 percent of the votes across Kerala. He attributed this to public anger against corruption and governance failures. The BJP’s performance was better than in previous elections in several areas outside Thiruvananthapuram as well. The party also gained control of five gram panchayats and two municipalities.
What do the election figures say?
According to the results, the UDF registered a major victory in these local body elections. The UDF won a total of 500 gram panchayats, while the LDF won 341. The rise of the NDA in Thiruvananthapuram became a focal point of discussion, where it secured a total of 50 seats in the corporation. The UDF won 7 district panchayats, while the LDF won 6. In urban areas, the UDF won 54 municipalities and 4 corporations, while the LDF secured only 1 corporation and 28 municipalities.
AAP wins 3 seats in Kerala elections
According to the State Election Commission, the Aam Aadmi Party won three seats in the Kerala local body elections. The winning AAP candidates are: Beena Kurian (Ward 13, Karimkunnam Gram Panchayat), Sini Antony (Ward 16, Mullenkolli Gram Panchayat), and Smitha Luke (Ward 4, Uzhavoor Gram Panchayat). These results of the local body elections have laid the foundation for a strong contest in the upcoming assembly elections. The rise of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram indicates a changing political landscape in Kerala. It remains to be seen which way the political winds will blow in the state in the coming days.
