Political News

The United Democratic Front (UDF) recorded a dream run in Wayanad district in the local body polls. The United Democratic Front (UDF) recorded a dream run in Wayanad district in the local body polls. The front tasted victory in the district panchayat and four block panchayats, besides two of the three municipalities in the district. Of the 23 grama panchayats, 16 favoured the UDF, while six stood with the Left Democratic Front (LDF), and it was a tie in the Pulpally panchayat. The Kalpetta municipality was the only saving grace for the LDF in the district.

With the State preparing for the second phase of local body polling, open campaigning ended in the seven northern districts on Tuesday (December 9, 2025). In Wayanad, the final hours saw colourful processions through major towns, with candidates and supporters of various parties taking to the streets. Rallies with flags, balloons and banners sought votes for the candidates, while participants sang, danced and celebrated. The ‘Kottikalasam’, the loud, celebratory culmination of the campaigning, was mainly held in Kalpetta, Mananthavady, and Sulthan Bathery. Following the State Election Commission’s directive to avoid inconveniencing the public, the festivities were mostly concentrated around the old and new bus stands in Kalpetta. Left Democratic Front (LDF) supporters gathered at the old bus stand, while United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters held a rally from the new bus stand to Chungam.

Gandhi family’s Wayanad visit stirs politics ahead of assembly elections. The Gandhi family’s sudden arrival in Kerala has heated up state politics. This marks the first time the entire Gandhi family has visited Wayanad together. Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi first arrived in Kerala for a ten-day visit. Following this, her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi also arrived. Assembly elections are scheduled for Kerala in eight months. Congress has been losing elections there for two consecutive terms. Kerala was the only state where Congress had hoped to return to power, but the last defeat has changed the situation. Congress leaders are hoping that the Gandhi family’s focus on Kerala will change the situation, but the reports are not encouraging. First, the Congress in Kerala is divided into several factions. Second, there is no strong leader there who can win elections. Third, the BJP has increased its support base there.

Though LDF’s core base remains unshaken in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad, the Opposition front has drastically overturned the ruling front’s hegemony established in the previous local body polls in 2020 The performance of the three major fronts in the three-tier local body polls last week reveals that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has scripted a surprising comeback that could potentially reshape the political balance in Malabar.However, the results across the six districts have not eroded the base of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M]-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is politically strong in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad districts.

Second phase of polling, which covers northern belt of the State — Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod — commenced at 7 a.m. and is scheduled to continue till 6 p.m Polling for the second and final phase of Kerala’s crucial three-tier local body elections began across the State’s seven northern districts began on Thursday (December 11, 2025) morning.Over 1.53 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots to elect representatives to hundreds of local self-government institutions.