What was once mocked has now turned into a political statement, as NDA–BJP members were sworn in across Kerala, marking a visible shift in the state’s local self-government landscape.
Newly elected NDA/Bharatiya Janata Party councillors of municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats, block panchayats and grama panchayats were sworn in on December 21. The celebrations were marked with swearing-in ceremonies across the state as the combine increased its tally almost everywhere in Kerala.
Apart from retaining the Palakkad municipality, the NDA–BJP has emerged as the largest single party in Trippoonithura municipality, traditionally considered a stronghold of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Just as in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, the CPM-led Left Democratic Front has been ousted by the NDA–BJP in Trippoonithura.
The party position in Trippoonithura now stands as follows:
NDA–BJP: 21
LDF: 20
Congress-led UDF: 12
With both LDF and UDF leadership unable to forge an alliance in Kerala, the election of a BJP chairman in Trippoonithura has become inevitable.
In Kerala, the INDI Alliance does not exist in practical political terms, as the LDF and UDF have been arch-rivals since the very inception of the state, each guarding its own political stakes.
In Thiruvananthapuram, newly elected municipal corporation councillors assembled in the morning at Mararji Bhavan, the state headquarters of the BJP state committee.
From there, they proceeded to the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple for darshan and later paid floral tributes at the Palayam Martyrs’ Column.
Following this, the corporators marched on foot to the Corporation Council. They were sworn in along with fifty non-NDA–BJP corporators. Senior BJP district leaders were present during the ceremony.
BJP–NDA and UDF corporators took oath in the name of God, while CPM members were sworn in with a strong vow.
Several BJP members took oath in the name of Bharat Mata, Ayyappa, balidanis (martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the organisation, society and the nation), Sree Padmanabha Swamy and Pazhavangadi Ganapati.
One BJP member was sworn in in Sanskrit. Slogans such as “Vande Mataram”, “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Hind” were raised during the ceremony.
Even some Congress members took oath in the name of “Ayyappa”.
After the swearing-in ceremony, all members sang in chorus the Gīta Parama Pavithramathameemannil, generally sung at RSS events.
The song had hit national headlines recently when schoolchildren sang it during the launch of the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express at Kochi in November 2025.
At that time, leaders of both the LDF and UDF had strongly attacked the song, accusing the RSS and BJP of “destroying the secular fabric” of the state.
During the very beginning of the election campaign, the BJP had repeatedly stated that “That does not change will change this time”.
It has now, visibly and politically, changed.
The same pattern of oath-taking was followed across the state, marking a new experience for the people of Kerala.
The election of mayors, chairmen and panchayat presidents is scheduled to take place on the 26th of this month.
‘That does not change’ has now ‘changed’:
