Thiruvananthapuram, February 6: The capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, is emerging as a stronghold for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This is evident from the party’s historic victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.
With this win, the BJP has wrested control of the corporation from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), which had dominated this civic body for over 40 years.
BJP strategists now view this district as a focal point for preparations for the upcoming assembly elections. In the 101-member municipal corporation, the BJP secured 50 seats, while the LDF won 29 seats, and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) managed 20 seats. Additionally, two independent candidates were elected, one of whom later pledged support to the BJP, bringing the party’s total to 51 and ensuring a majority in the corporation.
This victory for the BJP is not just limited to a single municipal corporation; it reflects years of grassroots organizational efforts. It also demonstrates that the BJP can now compete robustly in Kerala’s political landscape.
The district comprises 14 assembly constituencies, and the BJP has consistently narrowed the gap. In 2011, the party finished second in just one assembly seat. This number increased to two in 2016, and by 2021, the BJP had risen to second place in four seats.
Conversely, the Congress party‘s position has steadily weakened. In 2011, Congress won eight seats, but this number dropped to four in 2016, and by 2021, the party managed to secure only one seat.
This trend suggests that if the voting pattern seen in the local body elections held in December is repeated in the assembly elections, the BJP could translate its growing influence into victories across multiple seats in Thiruvananthapuram, particularly those currently held by Congress.
State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has announced his candidacy for the Nemom assembly seat, which the BJP won in 2016. He previously challenged Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Other targeted seats for the BJP include Kazhakootam, Vattiyurkavu, and Attingal, where the party finished second in the 2021 assembly elections. The victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation has provided the BJP with renewed energy and confidence. Party leaders are now not only discussing entry into the assembly but also aiming to dismantle the long-standing political dominance of the Left and Congress in the capital district. This is being viewed as a potential sign of change in the state’s political landscape.