BJP falls one short of Thiruvananthapuram majority. Who are the two independent options?

The 45-year dominance of the CPM in the corporation appears set to end as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was pushed to second place with 29 wins.

Published on: Dec 13, 2025, 15:58:36 IST

By HT News Desk

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The BJP is on the brink of a historic victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, securing in 50 out of 101 wards, as per Keral State Election Commission. The party is just shy of the halfway mark of 51 seats, making support from two independents crucial to forming the next administration.

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP workers celebrate their victory during the Kerala local body polls, at a counting station in Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (PTI)

The 45-year dominance of the CPM in the corporation appears set to end as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was pushed to second place with 29 wins and the United Democratic Front (UDF) holding onto just 15 wards. Follow Kerala election results live updates

Meanwhile, two independent candidates have emerged as kingmakers in this closely contested election:

Who is Sudheesh Kumar, won Poundkadavu ward

Sudheesh Kumar, who contested the Poundukadavu ward as a rebel UDF candidate, secured a win as an independent by securing 2250 votes, according to the Kerala SEC.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, Kumar ran independently after disagreements over UDF’s seat-sharing.

The coalition had nominated an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate in that ward, who ultimately finished fourth, another report in the Manorama added.

who is Pattur Radhakrishnan, won Kannammoola ward

Independent candidate Pattur Radhakrishnan won the Kannammoola ward by 362 votes, securing a total of 1,215 votes, as per data by the SEC

Radhakrishnan is a former proofreader at Kerala Kaumudi and has a controversial history, according to News Minute. In November 2019, he was reportedly accused of harassing a woman journalist and her family, including locking up her children.

He was arrested and temporarily suspended as secretary of the Press Club following protests by women journalists but was later reinstated and has since been elected president of the Press Club multiple times, the report added.

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