NDA Scores Major Breakthrough in Kerala Local Body Polls, Ends LDF’s 45-Year Rule in Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram: In a landmark political shift, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has emerged as the single largest bloc in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, ending the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) 45-year dominance over the state capital’s civic body in the Kerala local body elections.
The NDA won 50 of the 101 wards in the corporation, falling just one seat short of an absolute majority. The ruling LDF was reduced to 29 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) managed 19 seats. Two wards were won by Independents, and polling in one ward was cancelled following the death of a candidate last week.
The result marks a decisive shift in the political balance of the capital city and places the NDA in a strong position to form the next corporation administration.
BJP’s Biggest Urban Victory in Kerala
The capture of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is being viewed as the BJP’s most significant urban breakthrough in Kerala to date. The result ends decades of uninterrupted LDF control in the city and signals changing voter sentiment in Kerala’s urban centres.
NDA Dislodges LDF in Tripunithura Municipality
The NDA also registered another key victory by taking control of the Tripunithura Municipality in Ernakulam district. In the 53-member council, the NDA secured 21 seats, narrowly edging past the LDF, which won 20 seats. The UDF finished third with 12 seats.
This marks the first time the BJP has gained control of the Tripunithura Municipal Council. Classified as an A-grade municipality, Tripunithura had traditionally alternated between the LDF and the UDF. The latest verdict represents a sharp departure from that pattern.
In the 2020 local body elections, when the council had 49 wards, the CPI(M) had emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, while the BJP had won 17. The expansion of the council to 53 wards this year coincided with a decisive shift in voter preference.
BJP Retains Palakkad Municipality
The NDA also retained control of the Palakkad Municipality, consolidating its position in another key urban centre. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 25 seats, while the UDF won 18 seats and the LDF slipped to nine seats.
Palakkad continues to be one of the BJP’s strongest municipal bases in Kerala.
Polling and Turnout Details
The Kerala local body elections were conducted in two phases on December 9 and December 11. According to the State Election Commission, the overall voter turnout stood at 73.69 per cent, with 70.91 per cent turnout in the first phase and 76.08 per cent in the second.
Implications for 2026 Assembly Elections
The NDA’s strong performance, particularly in urban local bodies, is expected to influence political alignments and campaign strategies ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for 2026. The BJP’s ability to convert vote share into control of key civic institutions will be closely analysed across party lines.
Together, the results signal a major reshaping of Kerala’s urban political landscape, with the NDA emerging as a formidable force in areas long dominated by the Left and the Congress.
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