UDF Comeback Reshapes Malabar Politics in Kerala
UDF Comeback Reshapes Malabar Politics in Kerala
The UDF makes a surprising comeback across Malabar, challenging the LDF in key districts and signaling a shift ahead of Kerala Assembly polls.
Malabar's political chessboard is shifting as the Congress-led UDF staged a surprising comeback in last week's three-tier local body polls. While the LDF's core base remains intact in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Palakkad, the Opposition front overturned the ruling front's 2020 hegemony across several local bodies.
In district panchayats, the UDF won nine of 18 seats in Kasaragod, 18 of 25 in Kannur, 13 of 28 in Kozhikode, and 19 of 31 in Palakkad. In block panchayats, the UDF's gains included four of six in Kasaragod, eight of 11 in Kannur, eight of 12 in Kozhikode, and nine of 13 in Palakkad.
In Wayanad, the UDF converted a closely balanced contest into a decisive lead, mirroring its statewide surge. Malappuram remained the UDF–IUML bulwark, tightening its grip on grama and block panchayats and municipalities in the district.
The LDF's results across the six districts show it receding from its 2020 levels, signaling a potential shift in political balance across rural and urban segments in the region. While the Left's footprint is not erased, the pattern points to a reshaped Malabar ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls.
Observers say the gains could influence alliance calculations and candidate strategies in upcoming elections, making Malabar one of the key battlegrounds to watch as parties recalibrate their outreach to voters across both towns and countryside.
