Kerala local body elections: Vote counting on, 3-way contest at many places, Thiruvananthapuram in focus
Counting of votes polled in local body polls in Kerala commences
Counting of votes in the Kerala local body elections began at 8 am on Saturday, December 13, in the 244 centres spread across the state's 14 districts. The results are expected to influence the Kerala assembly election due by April 2026.
All three major fronts — the state's ruling CPI(M)-led LDF, main opposition Congress-led UDF, and the BJP-led NDA — have expressed optimism about performing well in the local body polls.
Local bodies in seven districts of the state — Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki, Kottayam and Ernakulam -- went to the polls on Tuesday, December 9, while the second phase saw the remaining seven districts vote on Thursday, December 11.
Barring 14 wards where candidates (all from the ruling LDF) won uncontested, elections were held for 17,337 wards in 941 gram panchayats, 2,267 wards in 152 block panchayats, 346 wards in 14 district panchayats, 3,205 wards in 86 municipalities, and 421 wards in six corporations across both phases.
Among the hotly-contested local bodies are the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, the Kollam corporation and Kochi, all of which are currently governed by the LDF.
The Thiruvananthapuram corporation, in particular, has seen a fierce triangular contest with parties like the Congress highlighting former MLA KS Sabarinathan and the BJP putting up ex-DGP R Sreelekha as its potential mayoral choices.
In the polls, contemporary issues like the pilferage of gold at the Sabarimala temple, the serious sexual assault allegations against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, inflation and price rise, and the slow pace of National Highway expansion works, have been raised and discussed by all major fronts.
The oath-taking of elected members will be held on December 21.
