The United Democratic Front is heading toward a decisive comeback in the Thrissur Corporation after a decade, with trends pointing to an absolute majority and a clear rejection of the much-hyped “Suresh Gopi effect.” As counting progresses, the UDF is leading in 33 divisions, well past the halfway mark, while the LDF is ahead in 11 and the NDA in eight. Four Independent candidates are also in the lead. The results contrast sharply with the 2020 civic polls, which ended in a rare deadlock and saw BJP win six seats while the rest were split between the LDF and UDF, eventually making Independent M.K. Varghese the mayor. This time around, the UDF’s commanding lead has rendered Independents politically inconsequential, signaling a clear and unambiguous verdict from voters. Equally striking is the absence of any visible “Suresh Gopi wave.”
