The local body election results, declared on Saturday (December 13, 2025), reasserted Ernakulam’s political identity as a traditional fortress of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
The results, in tune with the trend seen all over the State, have given a clear upper hand to the Congress and its allies in the district, with the people’s mandate turning in favour of them across local bodies. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has been restricted to only a handful of local bodies, while the results have left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) smiling as it won the Thripunithura municipality. The saffron front’s attempts to make inroads into the rest of the district, however, has not been translated into electoral wins yet.
The UDF recorded emphatic wins in the Ernakulam district panchayat and the Kochi Corporation, in a clear indication of its political clout across the district. While it retained the district panchayat with 25 out of 28 divisions, the front wrested the Corporation, winning 46 of 76 divisions in a prestigious battle. In the district panchayat, the LDF has been restricted to just three seats, and to 20 in the Corporation. While the NDA drew a blank in the district panchayat, its tally went up by one to six in the Corporation.
The UDF improved its tally in the district panchayat from 16 in 2020 to 25 this time with the Congress alone winning 20 seats. All the three seats the Left front won this time are in the CPI(M)’s account. Notably, the Kitex-backed Twwenty20’s influence in the district panchayat waned as it lost both the seats it held in the previous term.
The UDF continued its dominance in municipalities winning 10 of the 13, marking an improvement from eight in 2020. While Eloor municipality sided with the LDF, the NDA, for the first time, emerged as the single largest front in Thripunithura with 21 seats against LDF’s 20 and UDF’s 12. Angamaly has thrown a hung verdict with LDF winning 13 and UDF 12 seats, leaving four Independents a decisive factor. The UDF improved its municipality tally by wresting Kothamangalam and Piravom from the LDF this time.
Among the 14 block panchayats in the district, the UDF has doubled its tally to 12 from six in 2020. The LDF suffered a major setback as its tally went down to one from seven. Vadavukode, which Twenty20 managed to win last time, has thrown a hung mandate this time.
The UDF has emerged as the largest front in 66 of the 82 grama panchayats, while the LDF won 12. Twenty20 has held its stronghold Kizhakkambalam, though with a decreased tally. While it swept Aikkaranad panchayat, the UDF wrested Kunnathunad from it.
In Munambam Kadappuram ward of Pallippuram panchayat, the epicentre of the Munambam Waqf land dispute, the BJP won while the LDF won majority in the panchayat.
Published – December 13, 2025 09:03 pm IST
