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The electoral spotlight in Kerala has swung to the seven remaining districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod which go to the polls in the second phase of the elections to local bodies in Kerala on Thursday. The first phase of voting in the seven southern districts concluded on Tuesday, and the results from both phases will be announced on Saturday.
The political narrative unfolding across north Kerala constitutes not only a continuation of the electoral process, but rather a high-stakes showdown between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance strives to establish a more enduring foothold, particularly in urban bodies.
Beyond perennial local concerns – drinking water supply, solid waste management, and the proliferation of stray dogs – Statewide pro-incumbency and anti-incumbency sentiments have echoed throughout the campaign. The Sabarimala gold theft case, allegations of sexual assault against expelled Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil, and the high-profile acquittal of actor Dileep in a rape case have equally dominated electioneering discourse.
Thrissur Corporation
Among the keenly watched contests are the three Corporations in the region, especially Thrissur, where a three-way battle looms large. Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi’s victory for the BJP in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency is regarded as a development that could alter the political calculus in the civic body.
The Kozhikode Corporation, a Left bastion sustained through nearly 45 years of uninterrupted rule, is bracing for a formidable fight from the Congress-Indian Union Muslim League combine despite the ruling front’s organisational machinery. The BJP has also cultivated pockets of influence across numerous divisions. By contrast, the Kannur Corporation presents a starkly different picture where the UDF is keen to defend it.
Similarly, Thrissur district is witnessing a struggle between the incumbent LDF, seeking to consolidate its dominance of the last decade, and a resurgent UDF determined to reclaim lost ground. Minority votes assume crucial significance, with the influence of two powerful Catholic dioceses proving instrumental in shaping outcomes.
In neighbouring Palakkad, while the LDF holds a whip hand, the BJP seeks an unprecedented hat-trick in the Palakkad municipality, provided internal bickering does not sabotage its official candidates. Meanwhile, in Malappuram, the IUML-Congress alliance enjoys overwhelming superiority in the district, with the exception of the Perinthalmanna municipality.
Municipalities in Kozhikode, nevertheless, portray a fluid scenario characterised by potent communal undercurrents.
Communal angle
Another seething emotion shaping the campaign has been materially inflamed by propaganda portraying the CPI(M) as anti-Muslim, citing the party’s alleged endorsement of SNDP Yogam leader Vellappally Natesan’s statements about the community.
The role of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s Welfare Party of India (WPI) in Mukkom has already attracted intense scrutiny, as will the performance of the LDF-backed panel in Koduvally which mounts a direct challenge to IUML hegemony.
This electoral domain has been also complicated by Sunni factions, including the pro-IUML Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, which have publicly questioned the Congress’ perceived hobnobbing with the WPI.
In Wayanad, while the district’s general inclination favours the UDF, the suicides of Congress leaders N.M. Vijayan and Jose Nelledam, compounded by corruption allegations within Congress-controlled cooperatives, have created a precarious situation for the front.
Kannur district remains an indomitable Left bastion, commanding substantial support across both rural and urban constituencies. Nevertheless, the Congress has succeeded in registering modest but notable gains. Similarly, in Kasaragod, the LDF retains a strategic advantage, notwithstanding the IUML and BJP’s retention of influential strongholds. The Kasaragod municipality remains an impregnable UDF fortress, where the main contest is typically waged between the UDF and NDA. The LDF is concentrating its efforts on retaining power in the Kanhangad and Neeleswaram municipalities.
Published – December 10, 2025 05:33 pm IST
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