The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA's stunning victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation marks a historic breakthrough in Kerala politics. For the first time, the state is poised to have a BJP mayor, as the NDA secured 50 out of 101 wards in the capital city, ending the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 45-year dominance. This win, spearheaded by state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, signals that the saffron party has finally cracked Kerala's bipolar political landscape, traditionally dominated by the Congress-led UDF and CPI(M)-led LDF.
Key to this triumph was the performance of prominent figures like retired DGP R Sreelekha, Kerala's first woman IPS officer, who won convincingly in Sasthamangalam ward and is widely tipped to become the inaugural BJP mayor. The campaign focused on development promises under "Vikasita Keralam," exposing alleged corruption in the outgoing LDF administration. Even Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, whose Lok Sabha constituency encompasses Thiruvananthapuram, graciously acknowledged the "historic performance," calling it a "notable shift" in the capital's politics—despite having narrowly defeated Chandrasekhar in the 2024 parliamentary polls.
While the UDF swept most local bodies statewide, dealing a blow to the ruling LDF, the BJP's isolated but symbolic conquest in Thiruvananthapuram stands out. It builds on earlier gains, like Suresh Gopi's Lok Sabha win in Thrissur, and suggests growing urban appeal for the party.
