When the local body election results came out on Saturday, they jolted both the LDF and the UDF—for opposite reasons. The LDF was shaken by a dramatic collapse, while the UDF was surprised by the sheer scale of its over-performance.

In 2020, Kerala had witnessed a red wave. Recovering from its rout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the CPI(M)-led LDF swept 11 of the 14 district panchayats and five of the six corporations. It went on to capture more than 500 grama panchayats and over 100 block panchayats. The UDF, by contrast, was reduced to just one corporation, three district panchayats, fewer than 40 block panchayats, and under 350 grama panchayats. The BJP was a marginal presence, winning only 19 grama panchayats and two municipalities.

Cut to 2025, and the picture is almost inverted.

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