Ker civic polls: Last min welfare measures by LDF fail to woo voters, UDF ahead in majority of wards

Thiruvananthapuram | The lotus bloomed in the state capital as the BJP-led NDA achieved a resounding win in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left rule in the local body.

The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls, especially in the state capital.

Of the 101 wards in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two by independent candidates.

The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation.

Besides this, the NDA retained the Palakkad municipality after a close battle with the Congress-led UDF and wrested the Thrippunithura Municipality from the grand old party.

In Thrissur, from where Suresh Gopi won in the Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP won 18 out of the 46 wards in Kodungallur Municipality, 8 in Thrissur Corporation, two each in Guruvayoor and Vadakkancherry municipalities, 7 in Kunnamkulam Municipality, 6 in Irinjalakuda Municipality and one in Chalakudy Municipality.

It won 4 wards in the block panchayats and 167 in the grama panchayats, but none in the district panchayat in Thrissur district.

The BJP-led front won 1,085 grama panchayat wards and 44 block panchayat wards in Kerala, according to the State Election Commission (SEC) figures at 2.30 pm.

These also include 11 wards in the Kollam Corporation, 13 in Kozhikode Corporation, 4 in Kannur Corporation and 6 in Kochi corporation, coming third in these local bodies.

In the fight for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP campaign highlighting the alleged corruption during the tenure of the LDF appears to have worked for the NDA.

The Sabarimala gold loss-related campaign of the BJP helped it to win 142 grama panchayat wards, 6 block panchayat wards and 21 municipality wards in Pathanamthitta district where the Lord Ayyappa shrine is located.

The saffron party won nine wards, including Pandalam Town and Pandalam Town West, under the Pandalam Municipality and three wards in the Pandalam block panchayat in Pathanamthitta district.

Thiruvananthapuram | Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.

According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.

The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.

Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.

"We could expose the LDF government's anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF's fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.

He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF's victory in the elections.

Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.

LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.

According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.

"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.

He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.

AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa's temple.

"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.

Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.

"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.

Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.

"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.

He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.

Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.

"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.

On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.

"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government's policies are against the party's own decisions," he said.

Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.

He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.

Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.

"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.

Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.

"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.

CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.

"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.

Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.

"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.

Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.

"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.

Thiruvananthapuram | In a major boost to the Congress-led UDF ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the opposition bloc appeared cruising towards a decisive victory in Kerala's local body elections on Saturday, with the LDF's last ditch effort to woo voters through various welfare schemes apparently failing to cut ice.

Early counting trends and results of the local body polls, which were held in two phases in the state earlier this week, indicated a significant shift in public opinion towards the UDF, which incidentally had swept the last two Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The poll outcome, as indicated by the trends, may also force the CPI(M)-led LDF to rethink its strategy ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.

The Left government, just before the announcement of the local body polls, had announced a hike in the social security and welfare pensions, higher honorariums for ASHA workers, and a new women's security scheme, among many other financial packages, with an apparent eye on the polls.

The UDF, according to the trends released by the State Election Commission (SEC), appeared to be on its way to wrest control of three corporations-- Kollam, Thrissur and Kochi -- from the LDF and retain the Kannur corporation.

Significantly, the Kollam and Thrissur corporations were held by the Left front for 25 and 10 years, respectively.

In the Kozhikode corporation, it is a close battle between the LDF and the UDF, with the Left front in the lead.

The Left also suffered a major setback in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation held by it for 45 years as the BJP-led NDA surged ahead with a huge lead which appears insurmountable even if the LDF and UDF join forces. The trends and results indicate that the Sabarimala gold loss issue raised as a political campaign by the UDF against the Left front worked in favour of the opposition and the rival campaign by the LDF highlighting the sexual assault allegations against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil could not dent the UDF's prospects. This is also apparent from the trends as the Congress candidate supported by Mamkootathil in the Kunnathurmedu north ward under Palakkad municipality was in the lead. The NDA is leading in the Palakkad municipality, ahead of the UDF, but by a small margin. The early results also showed a rise for the BJP-led NDA in many Left strongholds, including state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Counting is being carried out in 244 centres and 14 district collectorates. There were some issues at a few counting centres, including Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Vadakara, over giving entry to booth agents and candidates. The results are expected to decide the future course of campaigning of the political parties and fronts in the state for the assembly elections in Kerala in 2026. The oath taking of elected panchayat members and municipal councillors and corporation members will be held on December 21.

Thiruvananthapuram | After three hours of counting of votes, which began at 8 am, for the 1,199 local bodies in Kerala, SEC data indicated that the UDF was leading in more grama and block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.

The trends shared by the State Election Commission (SEC) showed the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF leading in 371 and 389 grama panchayats, respectively, at 11.05 am.

The UDF was also ahead in 55 municipalities, 8 district panchayats, 76 block panchayats and 4 corporations, while the LDF was leading in 29 municipalities, 6 district panchayats, 64 block panchayats and one corporation.

The BJP-led NDA was ahead in 28 grama panchayats, one block panchayat and one corporation.

However, the NDA was much ahead of the LDF and UDF in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, which was held by the Left front for the last 45 years.

LDF appeared to be poised for a setback in Kollam, Kochi, and Thrissur corporations which it had won last time.

The Kollam corporation was held by the LDF since 2000 and the Thrissur corporation since 2015.

The Kochi corporation was won from the UDF by the LDF in 2020 and now the Congress-led front appears set for a comeback there.

The UDF looks to retain the Kannur corporation and the Kozhikode corporation will likely remain with the LDF, according to the trends till 11.05 am.

The UDF is also leading in the BJP-held Palakkad municipality.

Counting is being carried out in 244 centres and 14 district collectorates.

There were some issues at a few counting centres, including Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Vadakara, over giving entry to booth agents and candidates.

The results are expected to decide the future course of campaigning of the political parties and fronts in the state for the assembly elections in Kerala in 2026.

The oath taking of elected panchayat members and municipal councillors will be held on December 21 at 10 am.

Oath taking of corporation councillors will be held on December 21 at 11 am.

Thiruvananthapuram | The Congress candidate from Muttada division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the local body polls who had to move the Kerala High Court to reinstate her name in the electoral roll, won on Saturday with a margin of over 300 votes.

Talking to reporters after her win, Vyshna SL said it was a "win for democracy" and that the Congress had said that "truth will win".

"It is an occasion for us to be proud and happy. People recognised our hard work," she said.

Vyshna had approached the Kerala HC after receiving a notice from the State Election Commission (SEC) stating that her name had been removed from the voters' list.

Subsequently, the High Court had directed the SEC to reexamine her claim. Thereafter, the SEC had conducted a hearing and reinstated her name in the voters list.

The Congress had alleged that there was a LDF conspiracy behind the removal of Vyshna's name from the electoral roll.

Thiruvananthapuram | After the first hour of counting of votes, which began at 8 am, for the 1,199 local bodies in Kerala, SEC data indicated that the LDF was leading in more grama and block panchayats than the UDF, but the opposition was ahead in municipalities and corporations.

Initial trends shared by the State Election Commission (SEC) showed the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF leading in 261 and 228 grama panchayats, respectively, at 9.25 am.

However, the UDF was ahead in 43 municipalities, 7 district panchayats and 4 corporations, while the LDF was leading in 26 municipalities, 6 district panchayats and one corporation.

The BJP-led NDA was ahead in 15 grama panchayats, 3 municipalities and one corporation.

The trends for the Thiruvananthapuram corporation showed the NDA leading with the LDF close behind.

The Thiruvananthapuram corporation was held by the LDF for the last 45 years.

Counting is being carried out in 244 centres and 14 district collectorates.

There were some issues at a few counting centres, including Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Vadakara, over giving entry to booth agents and candidates.

The results are expected to decide the future course of campaigning of the political parties and fronts in the state for the assembly elections in Kerala in 2026.

The oath taking of elected panchayat members and municipal councillors will be held on December 21 at 10 am.

Oath taking of corporation councillors will be held on December 21 at 11 am.