NDA Breakthrough in Thiruvananthapuram Signals Decisive Shift in Kerala Politics: GL Raina
Jammu, 14 December 2025:
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) historic victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation marks a decisive political turning point in Kerala. By ending 45 years of uninterrupted Left rule in the state capital, the verdict reflects a clear public rejection of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) decade-long governance failures. This was stated by Girdhari Lal Raina former Member of the legislative council of erstwhile Jammu Kashmir and spokesperson of the BJP JK-UT.
Out of 101 wards, the NDA secured 50, comfortably ahead of the LDF’s 29, the UDF’s 19, and two independents. This outcome decisively breaks Kerala’s long-standing bipolar political structure dominated by the LDF and the UDF, establishing the NDA as a credible and growing alternative, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas, he asserted.
The local body elections, held on October 9 and 11, were widely viewed as a litmus test ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections, recalled Raina. The results expose a sharp erosion of the LDF’s support base. From controlling all six municipal corporations in 2020, the LDF has now been reduced to just one—Kozhikode. Of the six corporations, the UDF won four, the NDA one, and the LDF one. The NDA also registered gains by winning 26 Gram Panchayats and two municipalities, indicating steady and strategic expansion, he emphasized.
Despite leading in overall vote share, the LDF’s inability to retain key urban institutions, Ex MLC said, underscores growing public disenchantment. Persistent allegations of misgovernance, corruption, and controversies—most notably the Sabarimala-linked gold smuggling episode—have contributed to voter fatigue and declining trust in Left governance.
Explaining that disillusionment with the LDF has not resulted in automatic consolidation behind the Congress-led UDF is a noteworthy development. A substantial section of voters has instead shifted towards the BJP, reflecting an emerging preference for accountable governance, institutional integrity, and political consistency. GL Raina termed it as a very positive indication and hoped for repetition of similar developments in Kashmir sooner than later.
The BJP’s growth in Kerala is the result of sustained grassroots engagement, organisational discipline, and respect for democratic institutions. The party has neither sought to undermine constitutional bodies nor resorted to opportunistic agitation, but has focused on exposing the double standards of its political opponents while patiently earning public confidence. GL Raina thanked voters of Thiruvananthapuram for choosing and electing NDA candidates.
BJP spokesperson pointed out that NDA’s breakthrough in Thiruvananthapuram is not an isolated event; it signals a deeper transformation in Kerala’s political landscape. As the state heads towards Assembly elections, this verdict reinforces the growing aspiration among citizens for a credible, principled, and nationalist alternative capable of delivering transparent and effective governance.
