KOCHI – The results of the 2025 Kerala election, declared yesterday, have sent a strong political signal across the state and reshaped the run-up to the 2026 Assembly polls. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has emerged as the main winner in most layers of local governance, with a clear mandate in panchayats, block panchayats, and municipalities, and fresh gains in areas that were once Left strongholds.
At the same time, the wider UDF surge is tempered by a landmark result in the state capital. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has, for the first time, taken control of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, long seen as the most prized urban body in Kerala.
This mix of a broad UDF victory in rural and semi-urban regions, alongside a high-profile NDA breakthrough in the capital, has turned the 2025 civic polls into a turning point in Kerala politics.
UDF’s Comeback in the Kerala Election
The UDF’s strong performance points to clear anti-incumbency anger against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. By gaining control over a large share of grassroots bodies, the UDF has reversed the trend set by the 2020 local polls, which had helped the LDF return to power in 2021.
- Panchayat dominance: Out of 941 grama panchayats, the UDF is on course to lead more than 500, giving it a clear majority. The LDF has been pushed down to around 341 panchayats, a steep fall from its earlier tally, while the NDA has improved its position with roughly 26.
- Urban gains: The UDF surge has been especially visible in municipalities. The front has taken charge of 54 out of 86 municipalities, while the LDF has been limited to 28. Among the six major Municipal Corporations, the UDF now controls four, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, and Kannur, dislodging the LDF from several key cities. The win in Kollam stands out, as it ends about 25 years of continuous LDF rule there.
- Block and district advances: The UDF has also moved ahead in many Block Panchayats and has either secured or shared control of all 14 District Panchayats, underlining a broad consolidation of power at the local level.
Top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan, have described the outcome as a “decisive and heartening mandate” and a “clear sign of growing confidence” in the UDF. They argue that the result points to a possible sweep in the 2026 Assembly elections and reflects a demand in Kerala for “accountable governance that listens, responds, and delivers.”
NDA Takes Thiruvananthapuram Corporation
While the UDF has reason to celebrate its state-wide success, the single most striking result belongs to the BJP-led NDA. The alliance has pulled off a historic win by taking control of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, ending more than forty years of uninterrupted LDF rule in the capital.
The NDA is estimated to have won 50 wards in the 101-member Corporation, giving it a working majority. The LDF has been reduced to 29 wards, and the UDF has taken 19. The impact of this outcome goes well beyond city administration. It gives the BJP its first major elected body in Kerala and a strong base for its Assembly campaign in Thiruvananthapuram district, which holds several important urban constituencies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Thiruvananthapuram on social media and called the verdict a “watershed moment” in Kerala politics. For the NDA, which has long struggled to expand in the state, this result is a major morale boost.
The BJP’s campaign in the capital focused on clean governance, development-centric promises, and sharp anti-corruption attacks on the LDF. This mix seems to have found support among urban voters. The victory of high-profile NDA candidates, such as former Director General of Police (DGP) R. Sreelekha in the Sasthamangalam ward, highlights the party’s success in drawing in both new and established public figures in Kerala.
LDF’s Setback: A Clear Warning for the Ruling Front
The ruling Left Democratic Front, led by the CPI(M), has suffered a broad setback that its leadership will now have to face head-on. Last-minute welfare schemes and benefits rolled out in the months before the polls appear not to have shifted voter mood in their favour. Losing major urban centres like Kollam and Thrissur, together with the heavy blow in Thiruvananthapuram, points to a clear decline in urban backing.
The LDF has managed to retain the Kozhikode Corporation and remains competitive in several Block and District Panchayats. Even so, the overall picture suggests deep public fatigue with a decade of Left rule. To stop further erosion, the LDF will need to rethink its political and governance strategy and respond to both the UDF’s wider revival and the NDA’s new strength in cities.
What It Means for the 2026 Assembly Elections
In Kerala, local body results often hint at what lies ahead in Assembly polls. The outcome of the 2025 civic elections works as a sharp warning for the LDF and a big source of energy for the UDF.
The UDF’s dominance across rural, semi-urban, and many urban areas gives it strong momentum and control over local networks that are key for election work on the ground. At the same time, the BJP’s dramatic rise to power in the state capital, once thought impossible, adds a real third front to what has long been a largely two-front contest between the UDF and LDF. This shows that the political map is becoming more fragmented, especially in urban regions, where both the UDF and LDF will now have to treat the NDA as a serious challenger.
Over the next year, all three fronts will adjust their plans. The UDF will focus on turning this local success into an Assembly victory. The LDF will try to limit the damage, rebuild lost trust, and find a story that can counter strong anti-incumbency.
The NDA will work to spread its “watershed moment“ in Thiruvananthapuram to other parts of Kerala and prove that the capital result is not a one-time surprise but the start of a steady political shift. The countdown to the 2026 Assembly elections has become more complex, more competitive, and far more interesting.
