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Riding on a strong anti-incumbency wave, the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress, staged an impressive comeback in the local body elections in Kerala. The results declared on Saturday, December 13 showed a strong performance in all tiers – panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities, and corporations.
The UDF won four – Kochi, Kannur, Kollam, and Thrissur – out of the six corporations in the state. The UDF’s victory in Kollam, a Left stronghold, has come as a surprise. It also wrested Thrissur and Kochi from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), while retaining Kannur.
The LDF, which once ruled five corporations, was reduced to just one – Kozhikode – where it also failed to secure an absolute majority.
The UDF also managed to increase its seats in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode corporations. It showed an upper hand in municipalities, by leading in 58 of the total 87.
Both the UDF and LDF went neck-and-neck (7-7) in district panchayats. The UDF, however, showed a clear lead in block and gram panchayats.
In the midst of the election, the Congress faced a huge setback in the form of rape charges against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. The party expelled him just two days before the polls. The ruling LDF also posed a major challenge by increasing the welfare pension from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000 just ahead of the notification of the election code of conduct.
Terming the results as “a decisive and heartening mandate”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on X: “These results are a clear sign of growing confidence in the UDF and point the way towards a sweep in the upcoming Assembly election.”
All India Congress Committee general secretary and MP KC Venugopal said that the results show a powerful comeback by the UDF. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala cited the stand taken by the LDF in issues such as the Sabarimala gold theft as one of the reasons for the LDF’s setback.
Senior journalist MG Radhakrishnan said that the election showed a change in Left hegemony over elections in the last 20 years. “It can be seen as a major comeback for the UDF after 2010. Anti-incumbency is a key factor. The UDF also put in significant hard work, starting with announcing its candidates well in advance. Looking at the long-term trend, the LDF had a clear advantage in most elections over the past 20 years, with the exception of Lok Sabha polls. This is in direct contrast to what was happening in the rest of the country. Generally, this result can be seen as the worst performance of the LDF in the last 20 years.”
He also pointed out that the BJP’s emergence as a third major force was another factor for the LDF’s setback. “Earlier, the BJP had been growing at the cost of the Congress. Now the Left too is getting hit, which was evident in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Left was the passive beneficiary of the BJP’s rise and the erosion of bipolar politics. Ultimately, the Congress was able to keep a section of minorities with them. It also acted as a bulwark against a section of Hindu votes going to the BJP. The pro-BJP erosion of Hindu votes has hit the Left now. This is likely to repeat in the 2026 Assembly election,” he said.
Regarding the NDA victory in Thiruvananthapuram, Radhakrishnan said that the BJP had been working hard for the city corporation for the past 15 years. “However, the Left’s setback in Kollam and Alappuzha is a major surprise. Pro-Left Hindu votes are eroding,” he noted.