38 Wards, 12 Districts: What Kerala’s First Local Poll Test Under UDF Rule Looks Like

The first results from Keralam’s local body byelections are testing the Congress-led United Democratic Front government just four months into office. Counting began in 38 wards across 12 districts, and the first declared result showed the UDF holding Kochi Corporation’s Ayyappankkavu division on Tuesday.

The State Election Commission pegged overall turnout at 58.81% across the wards. A total of 3,09,713 voters cast their ballots. The outcome matters for the ruling UDF, the Left Democratic Front Opposition and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as all three blocs use the bypolls to measure support after the Assembly verdict.

The UDF also retained Ayyappankkavu in Kochi in the first result declared on September 29, 2026. The ward result offers an early marker in what is shaping up as the first major electoral test for the government after its Assembly mandate.

UDF Campaign Pitch

The UDF is seeking validation. The ruling front has used the bypolls to ask voters to endorse its first four months in office and its early governance record.

The front has campaigned on the Priyadarshini free travel scheme for women in KSRTC buses, a “successful” market intervention during Onam to curb seller inflation and the anti-narcotic drive 'Operation Toofan'. It has also sold a bigger promise: turning Keralam into a global maritime economy.

That pitch comes amid pressure. The government has had to campaign against the backdrop of a looming power crisis and the war in the Gulf, which could hurt the State’s financial lifeline because of its large expatriate workforce and deepen fears of higher fuel and cooking gas prices.

The front has also used a Crime Branch probe to corner the LDF. The enquiry follows an Enforcement Directorate report in the CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case, which names former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and son-in-law and former Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas.

Opposition Lines

The LDF wants a quick comeback. It has tried to turn the bypolls into a verdict on the government’s first months in office.

Its campaign has focused on rolling power cuts after a 10-year hiatus and an alleged shortage of medicines in government hospitals. It has also campaigned against the government’s “lackadaisical” approach to addressing the worries of settler farmers vulnerable to displacement, given the Union Government’s move to insulate Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) abutting forests in 98 villages from human activity, including farming and habitation.

Notably, the settler farmer community had hewed to the UDF in significant numbers, chiefly in the rugged Idukki and Wayanad districts.

The LDF has also used the so-called “freebie” row to attack the government. It pointed to Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan’s trip to flood-hit Malappuram district on a chartered flight provided by an “anonymous benefactor”, Local Body Minister K M Shaji’s use of a borrowed luxury car as his official vehicle and the overseas trips of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Sports Minister O J Janeesh. It has also alleged that CMRL’s “slush fund ledger”, supposedly seized by the ED, named Chennithala and Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty.

The BJP is also pushing to expand its support after its three-seat gain in the Assembly polls. That effort comes even as the party faces internal allegations of diverting election money for personal gain and the preventive detention of a councillor in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on criminal charges.

Ayyappankkavu Result

The UDF held Ayyappankkavu. But its winning margin fell sharply from the previous election.

Ajith Kumar A.K., 77, won his first election in his debut contest by defeating CPI(M) candidate P.K. Usman by 549 votes. Deepak Joy had won the seat last year by 1,183 votes. The bypoll was held after Joy was elected the Tripunithura MLA.

The result restored the UDF’s strength to 48 in the 76-member Kochi Corporation council. Ajith Kumar won 1,492 votes, while Usman got 943. Independent candidate Sujith C. Sukumaran secured 305 votes and BJP candidate K.V. Bejoy got 269. Sukumaran had contested as the Aam Aadmi Party candidate in the last election. All three major fronts fielded debutants.

Ajith Kumar had served as secretary of the Thrikkanarvattom Mandalam and the Ernakulam North Block. “The focus will be on ensuring the completion of development projects initiated by my predecessors. I will also reach out to the people to understand their priorities regarding development across various sectors,” said Ajith Kumar after his win.

Joy, who represented the division twice, linked the margin to turnout. “In fact, that is the usual victory margin in the division. Last year’s election was an exception, considering the wave in favour of the UDF across the State,” said Joy.