Nedumangad municipality has long been a Left bastion, with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) maintaining an unbroken monopoly over the civic body since 1995. Despite the United Democratic Front (UDF) coming close to victory about 15 years ago, the Congress-led coalition has since seen its electoral fortunes decline steadily in the municipality.
In the 2020 local body elections, the LDF registered a commanding win by securing 27 of the 39 wards. The UDF managed to win eight seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) picked up four. Five years earlier, in 2015, the LDF won 21 seats, with the UDF bagging 12 and the BJP four.
Going further back, in 2010, the LDF and UDF won 18 and 16 seats respectively, while three Independents also emerged victorious. To retain control that year, the LDF had to depend on the support of two of those Independent councillors.
Now, with preparations already under way for the upcoming civic polls, the LDF is aiming to extend its dominance beyond three decades.
The seat-sharing talks between the CPI(M) and the CPI are in their final stages. The front’s campaign is being steered by chairperson C.S. Sreeja, who rose to the top post after her maiden election victory in 2020. The coalition is highlighting its extensive welfare initiatives, including the upliftment of 112 extremely poor families and the swift execution of the State government’s LIFE Mission projects, which enabled the construction of 625 houses for the homeless.
Development plank
Nedumangad, primarily an agrarian region, has also witnessed a wave of modernisation in recent years. Several local educational institutions have gone ‘smart’ under various government-sponsored projects. The development momentum has been further boosted by Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil, who represents the Nedumangad Assembly constituency.
The UDF, meanwhile, is battling to regain lost ground after a series of lacklustre performances. The coalition’s immediate challenge remains the persistent issue of intra-party dissidence within the Congress ranks, a factor that has often weakened its prospects in the municipality.
The BJP, which first entered the Nedumangad civic body in 2010 with two seats, has since maintained a steady presence, winning four seats each in the 2015 and 2020 polls. While the party acknowledges that victory in the traditional Left stronghold may still be a distant goal, it remains optimistic about improving its tally in the upcoming election.
Following a recent delimitation exercise, the total number of wards in the Nedumangad municipality has increased from 39 to 42, with the addition of Palayathinmugal, Panangottela and Pathinettamkallu wards, all of which have been reserved for women representatives.
Published – November 10, 2025 11:06 pm IST
