Kerala local body polls: UDF takes early lead as NDA makes historic gains

Early trends from the counting of votes for Kerala’s local body elections indicated a clear lead for the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) over the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) , while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) made notable breakthroughs in key urban centres. Counting began at 8 am on Friday across the state’s 1,199 local bodies, with results emerging from 244 counting centres and 14 district collectorates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

also welcomed the BJP-led NDA’s performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, calling it a watershed moment in Kerala’s political history. In a post on X, he thanked the people of the state capital for their mandate and said it reflected growing confidence that the state’s development aspirations could be effectively addressed by the BJP. He added that the party would focus on accelerating Thiruvananthapuram’s growth and improving the ease of living for its residents.

According to data released by the State Election Commission (SEC) at 11.05 am, Saturday, the UDF was leading in a higher number of grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations compared to the LDF. The trends suggested a shift in voter sentiment ahead of the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.

In grama panchayats, the UDF was leading in 389 seats , while the LDF was ahead in 371 . The NDA had established leads in 28 grama panchayats . In municipalities, the UDF was ahead in 55, compared to 29 for the LDF. The Congress-led front was also leading in 76 block panchayats and eight district panchayats, while the LDF was ahead in 64 block panchayats and six district panchayats.

The NDA was leading in one block panchayat and had also taken the lead in one municipal corporation. The most significant development was the NDA’s strong performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, which had been under LDF control for the past 45 years, marking a historic shift in the state capital’s political landscape.

The LDF appeared to be facing setbacks in major urban centres such as Kollam, Kochi and Thrissur corporations, all of which it had won in the previous local body elections. The Kollam corporation had been held by the LDF since 2000, while Thrissur came under Left control in 2015. In Kochi, which the LDF had wrested from the UDF in 2020, the Congress-led front appeared poised for a comeback.

Meanwhile, the UDF was on course to retain control of the Kannur Municipal Corporation, while the Kozhikode Corporation was likely to remain with the LDF, according to early trends. The UDF was also leading in the Palakkad municipality, which had been held by the BJP.

The Kerala local body elections were conducted in two phases across the state. The first phase was held on December 9 , covering select districts, while the second phase took place on December 11 in the remaining districts. The counting of votes began on December 13 .

The counting process witnessed minor disruptions at a few centres, including in Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Vadakara, following disputes over entry permissions for booth agents and candidates. Officials said the issues were addressed promptly.

Political observers see the results as a crucial indicator of the future course of political campaigning in the state, with parties expected to recalibrate strategies ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Final results are expected later in the day as counting progresses across all centres.