Thrissur: The United Democratic Front (UDF) has made a strong comeback in the Thrissur Corporation, reclaiming power after a decade with a decisive majority in the local body elections. Of the 56 divisions in the corporation, 29 were needed to secure control, and the UDF has already won 31 divisions while leading in three more, comfortably crossing the halfway mark.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF), which ruled the corporation in the previous term, has been pushed to the margins, leading in just 11 divisions. The NDA, meanwhile, improved its presence by taking the lead in eight divisions, offering some consolation to the BJP-led front. In the last election, a closely fought contest had seen the LDF form the council with the support of independent councillor M.K. Varghese, who went on to serve as mayor for five years.
The result assumes added political significance as Thrissur is also the BJP’s only Lok Sabha constituency win in Kerala, where actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi had secured a landslide parliamentary victory with a margin of 74,686 votes. Despite repeated claims by the BJP of capturing the corporation this time, the UDF emerged as the clear winner.
Across the district’s seven municipalities, the UDF secured Chalakudy and Irinjalakuda, while the LDF retained Guruvayur, Chavakkad, Kunnamkulam, Kodungallur and Wadakkanchery, underlining a mixed but politically charged verdict in Thrissur.
