While the Vizhinjam result does not drastically alter the overall balance of power in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, it carries strategic importance for all three major political fronts.
Published Jan 13, 2026 | 12:10 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 13, 2026 | 12:25 PM
Vizhinjam has seen shifting political fortunes over the years: a Congress stronghold earlier, it was taken over by the CPI(M) in 2015, with Left candidates winning the ward in both the 2015–2020 and 2020–2025 terms. (Pic: Kerala Tourism)
Synopsis: Besides Vizhinjam, the UDF also won the Payikadam ward of Moothedam grama panchayat, while the LDF emerged victorious in the Onakkur 10th ward of the Piravom Pampakuda grama panchayat in the Ernakulam district.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) won two of the three wards where local body elections were earlier postponed following the deaths of candidates. The LDF won the Onakkur 10th ward of the Piravom Pampakuda grama panchayat.
The UDF scored a narrow but politically significant victory in the Vizhinjam ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, with its candidate KH Sudheerkhan winning by a margin of 83 votes.
The polling was held on 12 January, after the election was earlier postponed due to the death of an independent candidate, Justin Francis, who died in an accident.
According to preliminary figures released by the State Election Commission, the ward recorded a turnout of 66.997%, with 8,912 of the 13,307 registered voters exercising their right to vote.
This marked an increase of 5.16 percentage points compared to the 61.81% polling recorded in the 2020 elections.
A total of nine candidates were in the fray.
While the Vizhinjam result does not drastically alter the overall balance of power in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, it carries strategic importance for all three major political fronts.
Ahead of the election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the civic body, was eyeing a win that would have helped it reach the simple majority mark of 51 on its own, without depending on independent councillor M Radhakrishnan (Kannammoola ward).
The BJP currently holds 50 wards and has been facing internal tensions, with Radhakrishnan reportedly at odds with the party over the post of standing committee chairperson.
Notably, chairperson elections are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 14 January, a day after the Vizhinjam result.
For the LDF and the UDF, the election was an opportunity to bolster their respective strengths in the council, where they currently hold 29 and 19 wards, respectively.
Vizhinjam has seen shifting political fortunes over the years: a Congress stronghold earlier, it was taken over by the CPI(M) in 2015, with Left candidates winning the ward in both the 2015–2020 and 2020–2025 terms.
The UDF’s victory, therefore, represents a symbolic reversal in a ward that had remained with the CPI(M) for a decade, even as it marginally improves the front’s tally in the Corporation.
UDF candidate Subaida Korambayil won the election to the Payikadam ward of Moothedam grama panchayat in the Malappuram district.
She won by a majority of 222 votes. With this, the party composition in the 18 wards of Moothedam panchayat became UDF-17 and LDF-1.
While the UDF got 501 votes, 279 voted for the LDF. The NDA got 14, and the independent candidate got six.
The by-election was held following the death of the UDF candidate – Vattathu Haseena– in the ward.
Onakkur goes to LDF
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) registered a decisive victory in the by-election to the Onakkur 10th ward of Piravom Pampakuda grama panchayat in the Ernakulam district, a poll that had earlier been postponed following the death of a UDF candidate.
LDF candidate CB Rajeev won the ward with a majority of 221 votes, securing 558 votes.
UDF nominee Jose TP Theliammel came second with 337 votes, while NDA candidate Srikanth and independent candidate Paulos (Mainochan) polled 34 and 35 votes respectively.
Voter turnout was high, with 81.74 per cent participation.
As many as 965 voters out of 1,183 exercised their franchise, including 487 men and 478 women.
The by-election was necessitated after CS Babu, the UDF candidate, died in the early hours of 9 December, the day of polling.
