KOCHI: This was not a comeback. It was a political sweep. By winning 46 of the 76 seats in the Kochi Corporation, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has delivered one of the biggest verdicts in the corporation in recent polls, reducing the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to 20 seats, limiting the NDA to six, with four independents winning.
For the UDF leadership — especially Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan and Ernakulam DCC president Muhammed Shiyas — the verdict is both vindication and relief. Just weeks ago, the Congress appeared uncertain, grappling with internal dissent, candidate-related disputes and the spectre of rebels. On Saturday, those anxieties were buried under a decisive mandate.
The scale of the win is striking because it came despite visible organisational stress. The UDF had trouble finalising candidates in several key divisions, including Ravipuram and Cherlayi, and faced rebellion from within — 14 rebel candidates in total. Two sitting councillors even crossed over to the BJP and contested against the party. Yet, the electorate delivered a verdict that suggests voters prioritised governance failures over factional noise.
That clarity began taking shape early in the campaign. At the candidate introduction event, Satheesan set a blunt target: Kochi must be the first major local body the UDF wins. A month-long, high-intensity campaign followed, tightly focused on civic issues and the performance — or lack of it — of the outgoing council.
For the LDF, the verdict borders on a shock. After five years in power, it was widely expected to secure around 35 seats. Instead, it suffered a sharp erosion, including the defeat of its mayoral candidate in a high-profile contest. The loss underlines a deeper problem: an inability to defend its record in the city.
UDF leaders argue that the LDF paid the price for governance fatigue. Projects showcased by the Left were largely continuations of initiatives launched earlier, division funds allegedly stalled for years, and everyday civic issues — from infrastructure to service delivery — remained unresolved. Anti-incumbency, amplified by allegations of corruption, appears to have cut deep.
Even within CPM, the post-result mood has been one of introspection. Leaders privately concede that complacency and organisational lapses cost them several seats that should have been winnable.
The BJP, which had hoped to touch double digits, finished with six seats, a result that underscores the limits of its urban expansion in Kerala when polarisation fails to override local issues. Despite defections from the Congress and high expectations, the party was effectively boxed in by a direct UDF–LDF contest shaped by governance narratives.
The verdict is not without discomfort for the Congress. The defeat of its outgoing opposition leader in the council, Antony Kurithara, is a jolt. For the LDF, the questions are even more fundamental: how did a party in power lose its urban stronghold?
Ultimately, the Kochi result is bigger than the corporation itself. It mirrors a broader statewide mood of anti-incumbency and positions the UDF as a revitalised force in urban Kerala. For the Left, it is a warning shot—and a moment that demands serious soul-searching.
Round-up
UDF: 46
LDF: 20
NDA: 6
Independents: 4