NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA on Saturday made massive gains in Kerala after clinching a majority in the Thiruvananthapuram civic body elections — held by Left parties for 45 years.Out of 101 wards in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, the LDF 29, the UDF 19, while two went to independent candidates.Additionally, the NDA retained the Palakkad municipality after a close battle with the Congress-led UDF and wrested the Thrippunithura Municipality from the grand old party.In Thrissur, the BJP won 18 out of the 46 wards in Kodungallur Municipality, eight in Thrissur Corporation, two each in Guruvayoor and Vadakkancherry municipalities, seven in Kunnamkulam Municipality, six in Irinjalakuda Municipality and one in Chalakudy Municipality. It also won four wards in block panchayats and 167 in grama panchayats, but none in the district panchayat in Thrissur district.According to the State Election Commission, the NDA has won 1,402 grama panchayat wards and 53 block panchayat wards across Kerala.These also include 11 wards in the Kollam Corporation, 13 in the Kozhikode Corporation, four in the Kannur Corporation and six in the Kochi Corporation, where it finished third in these local bodies. This comes as the Kerala Assembly election is scheduled for April next year. In the 2021 polls, the BJP had drawn a blank, while the Left Democratic Front retained power with 99 seats. Meanwhile, the United Democratic Front won the remaining 41 seats in the 140-member Assembly.Who said whatPrime Minister Narendra Modi termed the mandate received by the BJP-led NDA in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a “watershed moment” in Kerala politics and expressed gratitude to BJP workers for the “spectacular results”.“Thank you Thiruvananthapuram! The mandate the BJP-NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala’s politics,” he wrote on X.PM Modi said people were certain that the development aspirations of Kerala could only be addressed by the BJP. “Our party will work towards this vibrant city’s growth and boost ‘Ease of Living’ for the people,” he said, using the hashtag #VikasitaThiruvananthapuram.BJP leader Shaun George expressed confidence that the NDA would make gains in central and south Kerala, claiming a shift of traditional UDF and Kerala Congress voters towards the BJP.“We are very confident that the BJP will secure a good margin in the central Kerala belt, and we will also achieve a strong victory this time in south Kerala. People who have traditionally depended on the UDF and Kerala Congress will shift their support to the BJP this time,” he told news agency ANI.Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor congratulated the BJP on its historic performance in Kerala, saying the results show a notable shift in the capital’s political landscape.“What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections! The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through,” Tharoor said on X.“A huge congratulations to @UDFKerala for a truly impressive win across various local bodies! This is a massive endorsement and a powerful signal ahead of the state legislative elections. Hard work, a strong message and anti-incumbency have all clearly paid off to achieve a much better result than in 2020,” the Congress MP said.“I also want to acknowledge the historic performance of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, and offer humble congratulations on their significant victory in the city Corporation — a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital’s political landscape. I campaigned for a change from 45 years of LDF misrule, but the voters have ultimately rewarded another party that also sought a clear change in governance,” he added.
