Smaller political organisations that are not part of Kerala’s three major coalitions – the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the United Democratic Front (UDF), and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – are planning to make a mark in the upcoming elections to city Corporations, municipalities, and the three-tier panchayats where even a small number of votes can make or break the winning prospects of a candidate.
Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Welfare Party of India (WPI), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the All-India Trinamool Congress (AITC) are among the main players in this category who are all set to field their nominees in the two-phase elections scheduled on December 9 and 11.
Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, launched as a non-profit charitable organisation backed by a major textile group in Ernakulam, came into prominence in 2015 when it grabbed power in the Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat. Five years later, the organisation gained control of the Aikkaranadu, Kunnathunadu, and Mazhuvannur grama panchayats as well. Twenty20 is reportedly planning to expand its wings to the Kochi Corporation and the Thrikkakkara, Maradu, and Aluva municipalities apart from contesting in more grama panchayats and district panchayat divisions in Ernakulam. It had formed a People’s Welfare Alliance with the AAP in 2022 to take on the other major political fronts.
The RMP, formed by CPI(M) rebel T.P. Chandrasekharan, is ruling the Onchiyam and Eramala grama panchayats, and has members in the Chorode, Azhiyur, and Mavoor grama panchayats and the Vadakara block panchayat in Kozhikode district. The party also has elected representatives in the Kunnamkulam municipality and Thalikkulam grama panchayat in Thrissur district. Though the RMP is not part of the UDF, the party is associating with the Congress-led coalition in most places. It is also planning to contest more seats in Kannur, Wayanad, and Ernakulam districts, along with Kozhikode, it is learnt.
The WPI backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is planning to contest over 130 seats across the State. Party functionaries said they have elected representatives in 16 grama panchayats along with the Valanchery, Kondotty, and Tirurangadi municipalities and a block division in Malappuram district; five grama panchayats and the Mukkom and Koduvally municipalities in Kozhikode district; five grama panchayats and the Kochi Corporation in Ernakulam district; four grama panchayats and the Palakkad, Pattambi, and Cherpulassery municipalities in Palakkad district; and four grama panchayats in Kannur district. It has members in three grama panchayats each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts and one each in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, and Wayanad districts.
The SDPI, the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India, had won 75 grama panchayat wards, one block panchayat ward, 18 municipal wards and one Corporation division in 2020, doubling its tally compared with the previous election. The party has a councillor in the Kollam Corporation and representatives in municipalities such as Pathanamthitta, Thiruvalla, Erattupetta, Shoranur, and Vadakara.
P.V. Anvar, former LDF MLA, has reportedly convinced the AITC national leadership that he can win 200 local body seats in Kerala and influence the outcome in 20 local bodies. Negotiations are reportedly going on between Mr. Anvar and the UDF leadership over sharing of seats.
V4Kochi, an apolitical collective formed in 2020, which had garnered around 10% of votes in many divisions in the Kochi Corporation, has decided to keep off from the electoral contest this time.
Published – November 12, 2025 09:29 am IST
