UDF Leads Kerala Local Polls, NDA Wins Capital

In Kerala's local body elections held on December 9 and 11, the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front secured a strong lead over the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front, capturing key urban centers and rural bodies across the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance also achieved a historic breakthrough by winning control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, ending decades of Left dominance in the capital, while the Aam Aadmi Party notched its first modest gains.

The elections covered six corporations, 14 district panchayats, 87 municipalities, 152 block panchayats and 941 gram panchayats, with a voter turnout of 73.69 percent. Results showed the United Democratic Front winning four of the six corporations, including traditional Left strongholds like Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Kannur. The Left Democratic Front retained Kozhikode but lost Thiruvananthapuram to the National Democratic Alliance, which secured 50 of the 101 wards there, compared to 29 for the Left and 19 for the United Democratic Front. Two wards went to independents, and polling in one was canceled due to a candidate's death.