In a major boost to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) ahead of the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, the opposition bloc appeared set for a decisive victory in the state’s local body polls on Saturday, as early trends and results pointed to a clear erosion of support for the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Counting trends indicated a significant swing towards the UDF across urban and rural local bodies, suggesting that the LDF’s last-minute push to woo voters through a raft of welfare measures failed to deliver the desired electoral dividend.
Just ahead of the polls, the Left government had announced an increase in social security and welfare pensions, higher honorariums for ASHA workers, and the launch of a women’s security scheme, among other financial initiatives.
According to trends released by the State Election Commission, the UDF is leading in most categories of local bodies and is poised to wrest control of three major municipal corporations, Kollam, Thrissur and Kochi, from the LDF, while retaining the Kannur Corporation. Kollam and Thrissur had been under Left control for 25 years and 10 years respectively, making the apparent losses particularly significant for the ruling front.
Of the state’s six municipal corporations, the UDF is leading in four, the LDF in one, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has surged ahead in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
In the state capital, the BJP is currently leading in 45 wards, compared with the LDF’s 22 and the UDF’s 16, marking the party’s most significant civic breakthrough in Kerala to date. The LDF has held the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for 45 years.
In Kozhikode Corporation, the contest remains tight, with the LDF holding a narrow lead over the UDF.
The UDF has also consolidated its advantage in municipalities, leading in 53 of the 86 bodies, while the LDF is ahead in 30. The NDA is leading in one municipality. In a key result from central Kerala, UDF candidate Dhanya won Ward 28 of the Kottayam Municipality, underlining the Congress-led front’s momentum. The NDA is leading in the Palakkad Municipality, ahead of the UDF by a slim margin.
At the district panchayat level, the race remains close, with the UDF leading in seven of the 14 bodies, marginally ahead of the LDF’s six. The NDA has not taken the lead in any district panchayat. In block panchayats, the UDF is ahead in 77 of the 152 bodies, while the LDF leads in 68. At the grama panchayat level, the UDF is narrowly ahead with leads in 378 of the 941 panchayats, compared with the LDF’s 371, while the NDA is leading in 33.
The trends also suggest that issues raised by the UDF during the campaign, including the alleged Sabarimala gold loss controversy, resonated with voters, while the LDF’s counter-campaign highlighting sexual assault allegations against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil failed to dent the opposition’s prospects. This appeared evident from Palakkad’s Kunnathurmedu North ward, where a Congress candidate supported by Mamkootathil was leading.
The BJP-led NDA also registered noticeable gains in several traditional Left strongholds, including Thiruvananthapuram, signalling a broader reshaping of Kerala’s political landscape.
Reacting to the trends, Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor described the outcome as a strong democratic mandate. In a post on X, he congratulated the UDF on an “impressive win across various local bodies”, calling it a “massive endorsement” ahead of the Assembly elections, while also acknowledging the BJP’s “historic performance” in the state capital.
Counting for the 1,199 local bodies, held in two phases, began at 8 am across 244 centres and 14 district collectorates. Minor issues were reported at a few counting centres in Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Vadakara over entry for booth agents and candidates, but the State Election Commission said the process remained on track.
The final results are expected to shape the political strategies of all major fronts as Kerala heads into the 2026 Assembly polls. The oath-taking ceremony for elected panchayat members and municipal councillors is scheduled for December 21, with corporation councillors to take oath later the same day.
– Ends
Published By:
Sonali Verma
Published On:
Dec 13, 2025
