THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the ward reservation list announced on Friday, the LDF has stepped up its preparations for the upcoming local body elections, setting an ambitious goal of winning 77 out of 101 wards in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The front aims for a decisive comeback, banking on its record of development and strong organisational groundwork.
LDF district secretary V Joy, MLA, said the party began its groundwork well in advance. “We started our activities early — forming committees, holding ward-level programmes, and focusing on voter inclusion. The groundwork has now been completed,” he said. “Apt candidates will be finalised after internal discussions, and a decision will be reached by the beginning of next month. Our plan is to announce the candidates once the election schedule is declared,” he added.
The LDF’s campaign will centre around major development achievements, particularly the Vizhinjam international seaport, which is transforming the capital’s economy and landscape. Other key projects include the completion of the Kunnukuzhy modern slaughterhouse, progress on Smart City initiatives, and new multi-level car parking (MLCP) facilities aimed at easing parking woes.
V Joy said that the front will highlight its record of transparent governance and effective administration. “Last term, there were concerns about inexperience since the council was relatively young. But the team proved everybody wrong. They ensured clean governance with minimal corruption and carried out massive development activities that gave a new face to the capital,” he said.
The LDF is also keen on giving more opportunities to young candidates, while ensuring a balance with senior members in the upcoming council. According to party insiders, recent byelection victories — where the LDF reclaimed five wards including Vellar from the BJP — have boosted confidence. The front believes the new ward delimitation will further favour its prospects. “Our focus is to capture more wards from the BJP and reduce their vote share,” a party insider said.
The LDF also downplayed the Congress-led UDF’s chances, citing its continued decline in the Corporation - from 21 seats in 2015 to 10 in 2020. “BJP has immense money power — they are able to fund large-scale activities, deploy squads, and even hire offices for campaign operations already. Their central leadership is directly involved in coordinating these efforts,” Joy said.
“We don’t have that kind of financial muscle, but we will counter them with our hard work, strong grassroots presence, and by fielding strong and acceptable local candidates,” said V Joy. He highlighted that much of the upcoming contest will depend on how the UDF approaches the election. “Reducing the BJP’s vote share is only possible if the UDF fights the election seriously and puts up a proper contest in all wards,” he said. “If the UDF fails to plan and campaign effectively, the BJP’s presence in the corporation will remain strong,” he said.
