UDF wins 22 of 38 wards, loses 3 seats to LDF in local bypolls

The ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 19 of the 38 local body wards, where bypolls were conducted on Monday, in Keralam, suffering setbacks, both in terms of seats won and margin of votes, at the hands of the rival CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

The bypolls were necessitated due to the deaths of sitting representatives and the elevation of members as MLAs. The elections were held for two Municipal Corporation wards, three Municipality wards, three District Panchayat divisions, seven Block Panchayat divisions and 23 Grama Panchayat wards across 12 districts. A voter turnout of 58.81% was recorded with 1.82 lakh people registering their franchise.

While the UDF held 22 of the 38 wards previously, their tally in the recent bypolls dipped to 19. The LDF made the gains with its tally rising from 15 to 18. The NDA, which held one seat in the last round, retained the sole ward.

One of the biggest setbacks the UDF faced was in Thrikodithanam division in Kottayam district panchayat, where it’s candidate Vijay Jose lost to Manju Sujith of the LDF by over 2100 votes. It was a division that it won in 2025 and fell vacant as the member Vinu Job got elected as MLA from Changanacherry.

The UDF also suffered heavily in Varkala and Chirayankeezhu block panchayats, losing divisions in both places, to the LDF. The two divisions fall under the Chirayankeezhu Assembly constituency where internal divisions within the Congress had been reported earlier this month. The UDF managed to win the Kallara district panchayat division in Thiruvananthapuram, but it’s victory margin fell steeply compared to 2025.

Another defeat came in Paruthikkavu division in Chittur - Thathamangalam municipality where UDF candidate K Madhu lost to LDF candidate V Thulasidharan through lottery as both candidates got equal votes. Coincidentally, the division was represented by Congress MLA Sumesh Achuthan before his election as legislator.

As for the LDF, it retained its strongholds in Kannur, Thrissur, Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram districts. Twenty-20, part of the NDA in Keralam, retained its sole seat in Poothrikka panchayat in Ernakulam district.