A Deep Dive into Recent Election Results
Kerala, a state historically dominated by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), has long been considered a challenging frontier for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, recent Kerala election results BJP performances, especially in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the 2025 local body elections, signal a notable shift in the state’s political landscape. From making a historic win in a parliamentary seat to significant electoral gains in key municipalities, the BJP’s trajectory in God’s Own Country is worth a closer look. This post will explore the BJP’s evolving presence, highlighting key victories and the implications for Indian politics.
Local Body Elections: A Game Changer
The 2025 Kerala local body elections proved to be a watershed moment for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The party made significant electoral gains, demonstrating an increasing appeal among urban voter sentiment. Most strikingly, the NDA emerged as the single largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, winning 50 out of 101 wards. This victory effectively ended the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) 45-year dominance in the civic body, marking a potential for the BJP to have its first-ever mayor in Kerala.
Beyond the state capital, the BJP-led NDA secured control of the Thrippunithura Municipality, wresting it from the Congress-led UDF. The party also successfully retained the Palakkad Municipality for a third consecutive term, securing 25 of the 53 seats. These wins, particularly in major urban centers, underscore a strategic expansion of the BJP’s influence. While its performance in rural belts across the state was less dominant, these urban breakthroughs highlight a changing political dynamic and a growing vote share for the BJP in Kerala. The party’s number of councillors in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, for instance, steadily increased from six in 2010 to 50 in the recent elections, clearly indicating changing political dynamics.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Breaking the Parliamentary Barrier
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections marked another historic win for the BJP in Kerala. For the first time ever, the party secured a parliamentary seat from the state. Suresh Gopi Thrissur, the popular actor-politician, emerged victorious in the Thrissur constituency, a significant moment that reverberated across Indian politics. Gopi secured 412,338 votes, winning by a substantial margin of 74,686 votes against strong contenders from the CPI and INC.
This victory was not an isolated event but part of a broader trend. The NDA’s overall vote share in Kerala in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections rose to 19.23%, a notable increase from 15.64% in 2019. The BJP’s individual vote share also climbed from 13% to 16.68%. Beyond Thrissur, key BJP candidates like Union Ministers of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram and V. Muraleedharan in Attingal showcased impressive performances, further boosting the party’s vote share in their respective constituencies. This performance suggests a move towards a tri-polar polity in Kerala, traditionally known for its bipolar electoral contests.
Kerala Assembly Elections: A Persistent Challenge
While the BJP has celebrated significant breakthroughs in local and parliamentary elections, its journey in the Kerala Assembly elections has been more challenging. The party’s first significant impact in the Kerala Assembly elections dates back to 1991. A major breakthrough arrived in 2016 when O. Rajagopal won the Nemom seat, becoming the BJP’s first-ever Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Kerala’s history. This victory was a landmark achievement, signaling the BJP’s ability to penetrate the traditionally unyielding assembly.
However, this success proved difficult to replicate. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP lost the Nemom seat, with V. Sivankutty of the CPM securing the victory. The BJP candidate, Kummanam Rajasekharan, received 51,888 votes, while Sivankutty garnered 55,837 votes. The party failed to win any other assembly seats in 2021, although it did maintain or gain vote share in several constituencies, indicating a persistent, albeit limited, electoral base. The struggle to convert popular vote into assembly seats remains a key challenge for the BJP in Kerala.
The Road Ahead for BJP Kerala
The recent Kerala election results BJP have painted a fascinating picture of a party steadily, albeit slowly, making its mark in a historically challenging state. From the urban strongholds captured in the 2025 local body elections like Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and Palakkad Municipality, to the historic win of Suresh Gopi Thrissur in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is demonstrating a growing presence. While the Kerala Assembly elections still present a formidable hurdle, the increasing vote share and strategic electoral gains signify a shifting political landscape. The BJP’s continued focus on expanding its base, particularly in urban areas and among specific communities, will be crucial in determining its future impact on Indian politics and whether it can truly become a third force in Kerala. This evolution underscores a dynamic and evolving political narrative, far from the traditional bipolar system.
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