Kerala Conundrum: Coastal Bypoll Loss Costs BJP, Majority Hopes In Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Sink

Last Updated:January 14, 2026, 06:29 IST

In a tightly contested three-cornered fight for the Vizhinjam ward, UDF candidate KH Sudheer Khan defeated his nearest rival, NA Noushad of the CPI(M), by just 83 votes

The political landscape in Thiruvananthapuram now stands finely balanced, with the NDA at 50 seats, the LDF at 29, the UDF at 20, and two independents. (Representational image/PTI)

The United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a significant political victory on Tuesday by wresting the Vizhinjam ward in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation from the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The election for this specific ward had been postponed from the general local body polls held in December 2025 following the sudden death of an independent candidate, Justin Francis, in a road accident. The result has far-reaching consequences for the city’s governance, as it leaves the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just one seat short of a simple majority in the 101-member council.

In a tightly contested three-cornered fight, UDF candidate KH Sudheer Khan emerged victorious with 2,902 votes, defeating his nearest rival, NA Noushad of the CPI(M), by a slim margin of 83 votes. The BJP’s candidate, Sarvashakthipuram Binu, finished in third place with 2,437 votes. A critical factor in the LDF’s narrow defeat was the presence of a rebel candidate, NA Rasheed, who polled 118 votes—more than the winning margin. The UDF has regained control of this coastal ward after a decade-long hiatus, taking its total strength in the corporation to 20 seats.

For the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Vizhinjam result is a tactical setback. Following its historic performance in December 2025, where it ended 45 years of Left rule by winning 50 seats, the party had nurtured hopes of reaching the “magic number" of 51 on its own. While the BJP remains the largest party and currently governs the corporation with the support of an independent councillor, failing to win Vizhinjam means it must continue to rely on external support to maintain its majority. The loss also complicates the upcoming elections for various standing committees, where the LDF and UDF are attempting to coordinate to block the BJP’s influence.

The political landscape in Thiruvananthapuram now stands finely balanced, with the NDA at 50 seats, the LDF at 29, the UDF at 20, and two independents. Analysts suggest that the high voter turnout of nearly 67% in Vizhinjam reflects the intense local interest in the ward’s development issues, particularly those related to the coastal community and the international seaport. As the city moves toward this year’s assembly elections, this result provides a morale boost for the Congress-led UDF, proving it can still challenge both the Left and the rising BJP in urban pockets.

News politics Kerala Conundrum: Coastal Bypoll Loss Costs BJP, Majority Hopes In Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Sink

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