Early trends in Kerala local body polls throw up mixed picture, BJP gets off to promising start
On Saturday, as vote counting began for Kerala’s local body elections, early figures painted an uneven picture across the state. The BJP‑led NDA looked to be on a promising track, while the ruling CPI(M)‑led Left Democratic Front, as expected, still held a slight edge overall. The Congress‑led United Democratic Front appeared to have fared better than it did in the 2020 local polls.
Municipal contests are turning into tight, neck‑and‑neck battles, underscoring how closely fought the elections are. In district panchayats, the UDF is able to claim some victories, whereas the CPI (M) seems comfortably secured in gram panchayats. The Left also shows a clear advantage in block panchayats, highlighting its organisational strength at that intermediate level. Even in many corporation wards, the CPI (M) keeps a slight lead.
The results from district panchayats are widely regarded as the key barometer of political strength in the state. With the exception of Kannur, most corporations remain under Left control, but early trends suggest that this status could shift as counting progresses. In Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP‑led NDA is emerging as an early front‑runner, though the race stays highly competitive and wide open, with the Left also performing strongly.
Reports indicate the NDA is doing well in Palakkad. In Thrissur, the UDF has taken an early lead, while the BJP is catching up and the Left’s performance lags behind expectations. At Ernakulam Corporation, the Congress seemed to have been held back by the rebel factor, spoiling its hopes in one of the six corporations it aimed to wrest.
Kannur Corporation also sees the Congress banking on a favorable outcome. These trends are based on figures available as of 9 a.m. Overall, the Left enjoys a relative advantage in the total number of wards, even though the final verdict remains far from certain.
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