Kerala gears up for local body polls; high-stakes test for LDF, UDF, and BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: With the announcement of local body election dates in the state, Kerala is once again heading into election mode as political fronts prepare for a fierce, high-stakes contest that is being seen as the “semifinal” before the 2026 Assembly polls.

The first phase of polling will be held on December 9, followed by the second phase on December 11, with vote counting scheduled for December 13.

The political fronts —CPM-led LDF, Congress-led UDF, BJP-led NDA— are gearing up for an intense campaign aimed at capturing control of local self-government institutions. The Model Code of Conduct has come into effect, leaving just a month for campaigning.

Political fronts ready for showdown

The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which dominated the 2020 local body polls during the pandemic, aims to retain its stronghold, while the United Democratic Front (UDF) hopes to stage a comeback, buoyed by its strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP-led NDA, meanwhile, is positioning itself as the third alternative, highlighting central government welfare schemes and development initiatives.

In 2020, the LDF swept across all levels of local governance —corporations, municipalities, and panchayats— securing control of five of the six corporations, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thrissur, and Kollam. The UDF managed to retain Kannur Corporation. Across 87 municipalities, the LDF governed 44, while the UDF held 41 and the BJP two (Palakkad and Pandalam).

The LDF also dominated the three-tier panchayat system, ruling 11 of 14 district panchayats, 113 of 152 block panchayats, and 571 of 941 grama panchayats. The UDF controlled three district panchayats (Ernakulam, Wayanad, and Malappuram) and 351 grama panchayats, while the NDA held 12.

UDF eyes anti-incumbency wave

The UDF is banking on perceived anti-incumbency against the Pinarayi Vijayan government, arguing that the public mood has shifted since 2020. The front has already released its first list of candidates and begun its campaign by highlighting the LDF’s “failures” and presenting what it calls a “charge sheet” against the government.

Former MLA KS Sabarinathan has been named the UDF’s mayoral candidate for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, where the front hopes to make significant gains. In 2020, the UDF won just 10 seats there, compared to the LDF’s 51 and the NDA’s 34.

LDF banks on welfare and development

The LDF is campaigning on its record of welfare measures and infrastructure development, projecting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s social security schemes, particularly the increase in welfare pensions from ₹1,600 to ₹2,000, as key vote-winners. The front is also highlighting local-level development projects completed under its tenure, many of which it says were stalled during the previous UDF rule.

Candidate selection within the LDF is nearing completion, with CPM district and area committees finalising lists. The front aims to expand its hold by targeting the Kannur Corporation, the only one not under its control.

BJP seeks foothold with prominent faces

The BJP, under new state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is focusing on the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as its prime target, fielding a high-profile list of 67 candidates in the first phase. The lineup includes former DGP R. Sreelekha, Asian Games medallist and former Sports Council president Padmini Thomas, and state secretary VV Rajesh.

The NDA hopes to leverage central schemes such as PM-SHRI schools and highlight what it calls the “double standards” of the LDF and UDF on key issues.