Kerala Local Body Polls: PM Modi hails BJP–NDA win in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, calls it a watershed moment

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has recorded a landmark victory in the Kerala local body elections, emerging as the single largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and ending the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) uninterrupted 45-year control of the civic body. The result marks a significant shift in the political balance of the state capital and gives the NDA a decisive edge in forming the next corporation administration. According to the final tally, the NDA secured 50 of the 101 wards in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The ruling LDF was pushed down to 29 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) managed 19 seats. Two wards were won by Independents, and polling in one ward was cancelled following the death of a candidate last week. With these numbers, the NDA is firmly placed to assume control of Kerala’s largest civic body for the first time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the outcome as a watershed moment in Kerala’s politics. In a series of posts on X, he thanked voters across the state who supported BJP and NDA candidates in the local body polls, saying the verdict reflected a growing desire for change and development-focused governance. “Kerala is fed up of UDF and LDF. They see NDA as the only option that can deliver on good governance and build a Vikasita Keralam with opportunities for all,” the Prime Minister said. Expressing special gratitude to the capital city, Modi described the mandate in Thiruvananthapuram as historic. “Thank you Thiruvananthapuram! The mandate the BJP–NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala’s politics,” he wrote. He added that the people were confident that the state’s development aspirations could be addressed only by the BJP, and assured that the party would work towards accelerating the city’s growth and improving the “Ease of Living” for its residents.

My gratitude to all hardworking BJP Karyakartas who have worked among the people, which has ensured a spectacular result in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Today is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of Karyakartas in Kerala, who worked at the grassroots,…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 13, 2025

The Prime Minister also credited the victory to the sustained grassroots work of BJP workers in Kerala. Acknowledging the role of party karyakartas, Modi said the result was the culmination of years of effort by generations of workers who remained active at the grassroots despite political setbacks. “Today is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of karyakartas in Kerala, who worked among the people and ensured today’s result became a reality,” he said, calling party workers the BJP’s greatest strength. The outcome in Thiruvananthapuram is being viewed as a major political breakthrough for the BJP in Kerala, a state traditionally dominated by the LDF and UDF. By capturing several wards previously considered Left strongholds, the NDA has demonstrated an expanded urban footprint and growing acceptance among voters in the capital.

Political observers note that the result could have wider implications for Kerala’s political landscape, particularly ahead of future Assembly elections. For the NDA, control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation not only represents an administrative opportunity but also a symbolic victory that signals changing voter preferences in the state’s most prominent urban centre.