Results in the local body elections in Kerala have come as a setback for the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state ahead of the assembly elections next year, with the Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF) registering a thumping victory in both rural and urban civic bodies.
The BJP-led NDA registered a resounding victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation by winning 50 seats in the 101-member municipal corporation in Kerala’s capital city. The municipal corporation was seen as a Left bastion and, in the outgoing 100-member corporation, the CPM had 51 seats, the BJP-led NDA 35, and the UDF 10. In these elections, with the seats now 101, the NDA won 50 seats, the LDF 29, and the UDF 19, with the remaining two seats going to Independents.
The UDF has won in four out of six municipal corporations: Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, and Kannur. The LDF retained Kozhikode, whereas the BJP-led NDA wrested Thiruvananthapuram from the LDF.
Out of the 941 panchayats, the UDF won 499, while the LDF secured 341. The NDA is ahead in 26 panchayats. Among the 152 block panchayats, the UDF won 71, while the LDF secured 64. Of the 14 district panchayats, the UDF and LDF shared seven each. Among the 87 municipalities, the UDF and LDF won 54 and 28 seats respectively, while the NDA won two.
A few of the BJP’s remarkable wins in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation include its possible mayor candidates, ex-DGP R Sreelekha in Sasthamangalam and VV Rajesh in Kodunganoor wards. However, one of the BJP’s star candidates, Padmini Thomas, faced a bitter result in the Palayam ward.
Meanwhile, the BJP–led NDA secured a victory in Munambam, where around 600 families were on a protest against the claim by the Waqf Board over their residences and property. The ward had earlier been held by the Congress, making this win significant for the BJP-led alliance. Kerala BJP general secretary Anoop Antony Joseph called the result historic. In a post on social media, he said the Modi government and the BJP stood with the people of Munambam in their fight against the Waqf Board. He added that voters had now returned that support through the ballot.
The local body election results have given a setback to the Left’s dreams of a third LDF government. The results indicate that the UDF has made a clear advance from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, and the NDA has emerged as a dominant party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the mandate received by the BJP-led NDA in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a “watershed moment” in Kerala’s politics and expressed gratitude to the BJP workers for the “spectacular results”.
Reacting to the civic body results, the Prime Minister said it is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of karyakartas (workers) in Kerala, who worked at the grassroots, which ensured today’s result became a reality.
“Thank you Thiruvananthapuram! The mandate the BJP-NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala’s politics,” he wrote on ‘X’.
“My gratitude to all hardworking BJP karyakartas who have worked among the people, ensuring a spectacular result in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and Congress leader V D Satheesan said the UDF’s sweeping victory is a warning against the state government and a protest of the people against those who misgoverned Kerala.
LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
“Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken,” he said.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the results of the local body elections reflected a clear public endorsement of the idea of a developing Kerala, signalling the end of the LDF’s decade-long rule in the state.
Stating that the BJP has achieved a significant achievement in the local body elections, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the victory of the UDF is temporary. “BJP has made big strides in Kerala. The people have accepted the vision of a developed Kerala proposed by the BJP. The victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation proves that,” he added.