Keralam local body bypolls: Congress-led UDF suffers setback as Opposition LDF wrests seven wards

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Four months into its term, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Keralam appears to have received a slight setback in the by-elections in 38 local body wards across 12 districts. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Four months into its term, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Keralam appeared to have received a slight setback in the by-elections in 38 local body wards across 12 districts, with the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) wresting seven wards from the UDF. Two of these were wards vacated by UDF’s sitting MLAs to contest in the previous Assembly elections.

Of the 38 wards in which by-elections were held, the UDF won in 19 seats, while the LDF secured 18. The results were declared on Tuesday (September 29, 2026). The UDF managed to retain 15 wards and wrested four wards, while the LDF retained 11 wards and wrested seven wards.

Twenty20, a constituent party of the National Democratic Alliance, won in Kolenchery East ward of the Poothrikka gramapanchayat in Ernakulam district. In the previous local body elections in December last year, the UDF had won 22 of the seats, while LDF had 15 and NDA 1.

In the Chittur-Thathamanagalam municipality in Palakkad district, the LDF won after the results were decided by drawing lots, since both the UDF and LDF candidates ended up with 423 votes. The ward was earlier vacated by UDF MLA Sumesh Achuthan, who was the municipality chairperson. In the Thrikodithanam division of the Kottayam district panchayat, vacated by Kerala Congress MLA Vinu Jacob, the CPI(M) candidate Manju Sujith won by a margin of 2,140 votes.

Another setback for the UDF was in the Assembly Chirayinkeezhu constituency, from where Ramya Haridas had won. LDF candidate Bijimol S. won the local body from the Anchuthengu ward in the Chirayinkeezhu block panchayat by a margin of 359 vote, while LDF’s Ramya V. Thulasi won from the Mundakkal ward in Mangalapuram panchayat.

The loss has led to criticism from within the party, with Vamanapuram MLA Muhammed Sudheersha S. saying that the party will introspect the loss which happened amid a positive atmosphere for the UDF. The recent scuffle between Ms. Haridas and district panchayat member Sajith Muttappalam appears to have negatively affected the UDF in the region.

The LDF had gains in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Kannur districts, while the UDF secured wins in all four seats in Pathanamthitta district. The UDF wrested a ward in the Chelakkara panchayat in Thrissur district from the LDF.

In the Sreekrishnapuram panchayat in Palakkad district, the UDF won from a ward held by the LDF. Though the UDF retained wards like Kuttichira in Kozhikode Corporation and Ayyappankkavu in Kochi Corporation, the victory margins reduced considerably.

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