Kerala local body election results 2025: Major upsets, shaken strongholds and dramatic defeats

Kerala’s local body election results on Saturday delivered a wave of unexpected upsets and setbacks across districts. Historic defeats for the Left in Kollam, a sharp reversal for the BJP in Pathanamthitta, and losses for allies of expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil marked a day of upsets and major setbacks.

Historic setback for the Left in Kollam

For the first time in 25 years, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has been ousted from Kollam Corporation. UDF secured 12 seats, delivering a scale of victory not seen in recent memory.

In the northern division, the CPM Mayor was defeated by a UDF candidate, while former Mayor Rajendrababu lost to the BJP. Observers noted, “The confidence of the CPM that it would never lose in Kollam has now collapsed,” signalling a dramatic erosion of left dominance in the district.

Twenty20 sees mixed fortunes as UDF gains ground

The UDF made inroads into Twenty20 strongholds, upsetting the party’s hold in Kunnathunad and Mazhuvannoor panchayats. In Kunnathunad, UDF leads in 17 wards compared with Twenty20’s seven, while in Mazhuvannoor, UDF is ahead in seven seats versus Twenty20’s three.

However, Twenty20 retained its dominance in Aikaranad and Kizhakkambalam, winning 10 and 17 wards respectively, showing the party is far from finished in its traditional strongholds.

BJP faces major reversal in Pathanamthitta

The BJP suffered a major setback in Pathanamthitta Municipality, losing control it had held since 2020. In the previous election, BJP had won 18 of 32 seats. This time, the Left secured 14 seats, claiming a clear majority, while the UDF won 11. BJP was reduced to nine seats, marking a sharp political reversal in southern Kerala.

Rahul Mamkootathil controversy 

Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil apparently saw his influence decline as close associates suffered defeats. In Mamkootathil’s own ward, the UDF candidate lost to LDF’s Kavya Venu.

Youth Congress worker Fenni Ninan, a loyalist of Mamkootathil, was defeated in the 8th ward of Adoor municipality, where the NDA candidate secured victory. Ninan had also faced criticism linked to Mamkootathil’s sexual assault allegations, which he denied, calling it a smear campaign.

Though the UDF performed well overall, these defeats represent personal and political setbacks for Mamkootathil and the Congress, which had expelled him amid controversy.