Voting underway in Kerala

Kerala began the first phase of its crucial local body elections on Tuesday, with voters in seven districts turning out early to cast their ballots. Seen as a major political indicator ahead of next year's Assembly elections, the polls drew steady participation from the outset.Voting commenced at 7 am across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam. By 9:30 am, the polling percentage had crossed 14.5%, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). Long queues formed early, with voters from various walks of life, including actors Asif Ali and Renji Panicker, exercising their franchise.The elections are being viewed as a semi-final to the state’s 2026 Assembly race, heightening the political stakes for all major parties.
Leaders of the opposition Congress-led UDF projected confidence. V D Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition, along with UDF convener Adoor Prakash and senior Congress figure Ramesh Chennithala, said they expected a “historic win,” attributing public sentiment to what they described as rising anti-incumbency against the ruling LDF. They also argued that the Sabarimala gold case had hurt the ruling front’s prospects.Satheesan maintained that the sexual assault allegations against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil would not impact the party, asserting that swift disciplinary action had strengthened public trust. He also alleged that the government’s failure to arrest Mamkootathil had weakened the LDF’s position in the polls.The ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) expressed equal confidence. CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby said the SIT probe into the Sabarimala gold issue, monitored by the court, would work in the LDF’s favour. The front is banking on welfare pensions, development projects and its administrative record to secure broad support.The BJP, seeking to expand its presence in Kerala, has focused its campaign on governance, development, and religious issues—including the management of the Sabarimala temple as it attempts to widen its electoral footprint.
Second Phase on December 11
The remaining districts,Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod—will go to the polls on December 11, with campaigning in these regions set to conclude by Tuesday evening.According to the SEC, 1,32,83,789 voters are eligible to decide the outcome for 75,632 candidates contesting 23,576 wards across the two phases. Results for all 1,199 local bodies will be declared on December 13.