BJP wins Thiruvananthapuram civic polls, ending Left’s 45-year rule

MV Govindan. PIC/X@THEKORAHABRAHAM

The BJP-led NDA won in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left civic governance.

The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls, especially in the state capital. Of the 101 wards in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two by independent candidates. The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation.

The LDF secured 29 wards, and the UDF 19. PIC/PTI

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the "beauty of democracy". In a post on X, he said the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency. "I offer humble congratulations on their [BJP] significant victory in the city corporation - a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital's political landscape."

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan on Saturday said the local body election results were an "unexpected setback" for the party. "First of all, we will evaluate the results and take corrective measures," he said at a press conference. He said the setback in the 2010 local body polls had served as a lesson for the party's future growth.

Responding to claims that the LDF's base had collapsed, Govindan said winning half of the district panchayats in the state itself showed that the front's base remained intact. "Winning seven district panchayats indicates that there is no erosion in the base of the LDF," he said.

In the fight for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP campaign highlighting the alleged corruption during the tenure of the LDF appears to have worked for the NDA. The Sabarimala gold loss-related campaign of the BJP helped it to win 142 grama panchayat wards, 6 block panchayat wards and 21 municipality wards in Pathanamthitta district where the Lord Ayyappa shrine is located.

The saffron party won nine wards, including Pandalam Town and Pandalam Town West, under the Pandalam Municipality and three wards in the Pandalam block panchayat in Pathanamthitta district.

101
Total no. of wards in Thiruvanthapuram

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