Political mood of Kerala changed before 2026, BJP made a dent in the stronghold of Left…Congress and UDF also got the lead.

ThiruvananthapuramThe local body election results in Kerala on Saturday have given many important indications regarding the direction and condition of the state’s politics. These elections are always considered the semi-finals before the assembly elections and this time the results have raised alarm bells for the ruling Left Front before the 2026 elections.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has suffered a setback across the state, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) seems to be making a strong comeback in both urban and rural areas. At the same time, BJP led NDA has also registered its presence and indicated to give a new triangular direction to the politics of Kerala.

Congress’s lead in urban and rural areas

The Congress alliance has emerged as the biggest beneficiary in the election results this time. UDF won four out of six municipal corporations, while one municipal corporation each went to LDF and NDA. Congress’s dominance was also seen in the municipalities, where UDF captured 54 out of 86. In contrast, LDF was reduced to 28 and NDA got success in two municipalities.

Equation changed at Panchayat level

This time Congress created history in rural Kerala also. UDF’s victory in 504 out of 941 gram panchayats made it clear that the hold of the traditionally strong Left cadre is weakening. LDF won in 341 panchayats, while NDA registered its presence in 26 panchayats. This is the first time that Congress has created such an effective position at the Panchayat level.

breach in left’s strongholds

The most surprising aspect of these results was that LDF had to face defeat even in its traditional forts. Municipal corporations like Kollam, Thrissur and Kochi, which were under the control of the Left for years, fell into the hands of the Congress this time. Kollam and Thrissur were under Left rule for 25 and 10 years respectively. However, the contest in Kozhikode was very close, where LDF won with a slight lead.

BJP’s historic performance in Thiruvananthapuram

The BJP-led NDA created history in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. In Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, which has been considered a stronghold of the Left for 45 years, NDA won a clear majority by winning 50 out of 101 divisions. LDF got only 29 seats here and UDF got 19 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called it a watershed moment for BJP in Kerala.

Anti-incumbency effect

Analysts believe that this election had largely become a referendum against the state government. After being in power for almost a decade, the voters’ resentment against the LDF government came out openly. Despite increasing social security pension and other welfare announcements, the government could not stop the wave of anti-incumbency.

Reaction of Left and Congress

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan termed the results as an unexpected shock and said the party will introspect and try to reconnect with the public. This victory has brought new energy for the Congress, but maintaining this lead till the 2026 assembly elections will be the biggest challenge for it.

changing political picture

These results have made it clear that Kerala politics is no longer limited to Left versus Congress only. The increasing presence of BJP, the return of Congress and the weakening hold of the Left have made the upcoming assembly elections very interesting.