Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP on Saturday received a major impetus in Kerala ahead of next year’s Assembly polls with a resounding victory in the local body elections in the Thiruvananthapuram city corporation, ending the 45-year-long reign of the Left Democratic Front.
In what Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed as a “watershed moment” in the state’s politics, the BJP-led NDA bagged 50 out of the 101 wards in the city, confining the incumbent CPM-led LDF to 29 seats and the Congress-led United Democratic Front to 19 seats. Two independent candidates also won the polls. Election to one ward was postponed following the death of a candidate.
The saffron alliance is just one seat shy of a simple majority, which, its leaders believe, won’t pose any problem.
Kerala went to three-tier local body elections in two phases, the results of which were announced on Saturday.
Termed as the “semi-finals” before the Assembly polls, the local body results saw the UDF making a decisive comeback.
Underlining the importance of the victory in Thiruvananthapuram city for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to congratulate party workers for the “spectacular results”.
“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,” Modi posted on X.
Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed the local body elections results as the “beauty of democracy”.
Highlights - Thiruvananthapuram corporation (2025) Total seats 101 (2020 seats in bracket) NDA : 50 (35)LDF : 29 (52)UDF : 19 (10)Others: 2 (3) (Election to one ward postponed as one candidate died)