BJP makes history in Kerala
It wrests prestigious Thiruvananthapuram Corporation from CPI-M
Will this outcome help navigate 'faster' movement of Shashi Tharoor to the Lotus party ?
The Lotus party win ends decades of CPI-M-led LDF dominance in the state capital and signals a notable shift in urban voter sentiment.
The outcome is politically significant as Thiruvananthapuram district is the home turf of senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor.
In a statement that may ruffle a few feathers in the Congress camp, Tharoor said --
"That is the beauty of democracy. The people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in my constituency."
The BJP-led NDA has made historic gains in Kerala's local body elections, capturing key urban centres including Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and Tripunithura Municipality.
This marks a significant shift in Kerala's political landscape, traditionally dominated by the Left Democratic Front.
Tharoor posted a detailed message on X saying, “What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections. The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through".
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has scored a major win in the Kerala capital, emerging as the single largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and ending the Left Democratic Front’s 45-year hold on the civic body.
The NDA won 50 of the 101 wards in the corporation, while the ruling LDF was reduced to 29 seats.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured 19 seats, two went to Independents, and polling in one ward was cancelled following the death of a candidate last week.
The NDA also registered another key victory by taking control of the Tripunithura Municipality, dislodging the ruling LDF as counting in the 2025 Kerala local body elections concluded on Saturday.
Together, the results signal a major breakthrough for the BJP in Kerala, especially in urban areas where the party has traditionally struggled to translate its vote share into control of local bodies.
The BJP’s capture of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has been seen as its most significant achievement of the election cycle.
Tharoor congratulated the Congress-led alliance, adding, “A huge congratulations to the UDF for a truly impressive win across various local bodies.
This is a massive endorsement and a powerful signal ahead of the state legislative elections. Hard work, a strong message and anti-incumbency have all clearly paid off to achieve a much better result than in 2020.”
He accepted BJP’s gains in his home constituency.
“I also want to acknowledge the historic performance of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, and offer humble congratulations on their significant victory in the city Corporation, a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital’s political landscape,” he said.
In Tripunithura Municipality in Ernakulam district, the NDA secured a narrow majority, winning 21 seats in the 53-member council. The LDF followed closely with 20 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) slipped to third place with 12 seats.
The outcome represents the first time the BJP has won control of the Tripunithura Municipal Council.
Classified as an A-grade municipality, Tripunithura had for decades alternated between the LDF and the UDF. The latest result reflects a sharp departure from that pattern, with the NDA dislodging the LDF after an intense and closely fought campaign.
In the 2020 local body elections, when the municipality had 49 wards, the CPI(M) had emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, while the BJP had won 17. The expansion of the council to 53 wards this year coincided with a decisive shift in voter preference.
PM Narendra Modi tweeted saying -
"My gratitude to the people across Kerala who voted for BJP and NDA candidates in the local body polls in the state. Kerala is fed up of UDF and LDF. They see NDA as the only option that can deliver on good governance and build a #VikasitaKeralam with opportunities for all."
The results in the local body elections in Kerala have come as a setback for the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state ahead of elections next year, with the Congress-led United Democratic Front ahead in four out of six municipal bodies and 14 district panchayats, against the ruling coalition's six.
The BJP has, however, emerged as the biggest, and perhaps most unexpected, headline grabber.
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