THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The results of Kerala’s recently concluded local body elections mark a significant political moment, delivering a sharp setback to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which had been positioning itself for an unprecedented third consecutive term under his leadership ahead of the Assembly elections due in April-May 2026.
Contrary to the LDF’s expectations of consolidating its dominance across the three-tier local governance system, the verdict reflects widespread voter disenchantment. The principal beneficiary of this shift has been the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which registered a strong, across-the-board performance in panchayats, municipalities and corporations -- one of its most impressive showings in recent local body polls.
The BJP-led NDA, despite high-decibel claims of a major breakthrough, failed to convert rhetoric into substantive statewide gains. While the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation with 50 seats, its momentum diminished elsewhere. The much-touted expansion into local bodies across Kerala did not materialise, highlighting the limitations of the NDA’s organisational depth at the grassroots.