Overview
- AICC’s K. C. Venugopal confirmed former MLA K. S. Sabarinadhan as the UDF’s mayoral candidate in Thiruvananthapuram, with K. Muraleedharan leading the city campaign and an early 48-candidate list released before the poll notification.
- The State Election Commission has yet to announce the schedule, which is expected to cover nearly all 1,200 local bodies across Kerala, excluding only Mattannur Municipality.
- Many contests are shaping into three-way fights among the LDF, UDF and a growing BJP, with Irinjalakuda highlighted as a test case where the BJP claims momentum and sections of the Christian vote are reported to be in play.
- Irinjalakuda’s race is further roiled by cooperative bank scandals, including the Irinjalakuda Town Cooperative Bank now under RBI administrative rule, while the LDF and UDF trade claims over development and governance records.
- In Malappuram the UDF remains dominant but is working to settle Congress–IUML rifts in select panchayats and to manage seats after recent delimitation added 281 wards, as Neyyattinkara readies for a larger 46-ward contest and final candidate lists within a week.