BJP secures hat-trick victory in Palakkad Municipality, UDF gains as LDF loses ground

Palakkad: Continuing their strong performance in the last two local body elections, the BJP-led NDA has retained power in the Palakkad Municipality for a third consecutive term, successfully fending off a challenge from the UDF.

The election results were keenly watched across Kerala amid the controversy surrounding Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who was expelled from the Congress following allegations of sexual harassment. The BJP described the verdict as a public rejection of alleged misconduct and an endorsement of the development initiatives implemented by the saffron party.

In the election, the BJP won 25 seats, three fewer than in the previous term. The UDF improved its tally to 17 seats, up by three compared to the last election. In 2020, the Congress had won 10 seats, while the Muslim League secured four. Meanwhile, the LDF managed to win only eight seats, one more than in its previous outing.

For the BJP, the victory is a significant political boost, as Palakkad remains the first municipality the party won in the state. The BJP first came to power in the Palakkad Municipality in 2015 and had secured 28 seats in the last election.

E Krishnadas, vice-chairperson of the Palakkad Municipality and incumbent councillor from Pattikkara ward, said the verdict reflected the electorate's preference for continuity in development. "What the people of Palakkad wanted was good governance, and the BJP delivered it," he said. Criticising the earlier UDF rule from 2010 to 2015, Krishnadas alleged it was marked by 'commission politics', adding that voters had rejected such a model and backed development instead.

The BJP's victory comes despite internal leadership disputes that surfaced during its tenure. Priya Ajayan, who was elected municipal chairperson after the party won the 2020 polls, later resigned, citing personal reasons. However, reports had then suggested that internal differences led to her exit.

Pramila Sasidharan was subsequently elected chairperson, amid allegations of unilateral decision-making by the former chairperson, which senior leaders, including Pramila, had objected to.

The party later faced further turbulence over the appointment of its district president, with several councillors, including Pramila, raising objections and threatening to resign. The leadership crisis was eventually resolved by the party.

Krishnadas also said the BJP capitalised on the controversy surrounding former Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. "By fielding Rahul, the Congress imposed a burden on the people of Palakkad, and that has been answered in the elections," he said.

The BJP attributed its losses in two to three wards compared to the previous election to cross-voting. "In several wards, the LDF and UDF worked together to defeat the BJP," said Pramila Sasidharan. She cited wards one and three as examples, claiming that non-BJP votes consolidated in Muslim-majority areas. "A similar situation played out in several other wards as well," she said.

Mamkootathil, against whom a rape case was registered, had remained out of public view for nearly two weeks before being granted bail by a sessions court. The Congress expelled him from the party on December 4 following the allegations.

The BJP also managed to shrug off its defeat in the Palakkad Assembly by-election, in which Rahul Mamkootathil had won by a margin of 18,840 votes. The BJP had fielded C Krishnakumar, who secured 39,549 votes in the bypoll.

For the Congress, however, the municipal election outcome was a disappointment. Riding on its strong showing in the Palakkad by-election, the party had hoped to wrest control of the Palakkad Municipality from the BJP and had projected a victory. The people's verdict, however, did not favour the Congress.

Despite this, the UDF improved its performance, winning 17 seats—three more than in the previous election. A woman ward councillor said the alliance managed to boost its tally by reclaiming wards one and three. "Winning back these wards helped us improve our numbers," she said.

Congress leader Sajo John dismissed suggestions that the controversy involving Rahul Mamkootathil influenced the election outcome. "How can the actions of an individual affect the party here? It was not an issue at all," he said.

John also pointed out that the BJP's victories in several wards were by narrow margins. "In more than five wards, the victory margin was less than 50 votes," he said, adding that the BJP had fallen short of its own expectations. "The BJP claimed it would win over 30 seats but ended up with only 25," he said.