Thiruvananthapuram: The United Democratic Front (UDF) has achieved a massive and “historic” victory in the 2025 Kerala local body elections, marking its best performance in such polls since 1995. Following the landslide results, Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan launched a scathing attack on the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, declaring that the Pinarayi Vijayan administration has become one “hated by the people of Kerala.”
​The results signal a significant shift in political sentiment, with the LDF suffering a crushing setback across the state. Data shared by the Opposition Leader revealed the extent of the LDF’s reversal:
- ​Gram Panchayats: The LDF’s tally plummeted from 580 in the previous election to just 345, while the UDF’s count surged from 340 to 500.
- ​Block Panchayats: The LDF dropped from 111 to 68, contrasting sharply with the UDF’s rise from 40 to 77.
​Speaking to the press, Satheesan dedicated the victory to ‘Team UDF’ and expressed gratitude to the voters, asserting that the outcome was a clear reflection of the strong anti-government sentiment prevailing among the public.
​Communal Politics and LDF’s ‘Mindset’ Under Fire
​Satheesan reserved particularly harsh criticism for the CPI(M)’s political strategy, accusing the ruling party of communal appeasement that ultimately benefited the BJP.
​”The CPI(M)’s tactic of playing majority communal appeasement after previously engaging in minority appeasement has directly benefited the BJP,” he stated, pointing out that the BJP’s gains, including those in Thiruvananthapuram, were a direct result of the CPI(M)’s polarizing strategy. He warned that the political maneuvers employed by E.M.S. Namboodiripad in 1987 would not yield success in 2025 or 2026.
​The Opposition Leader also tore into senior CPI(M) leader M. M. Mani’s controversial remark suggesting that people who received welfare pensions and “ate a good meal” had “betrayed” the party by voting against them.
​”This is the true mindset of CPI(M) leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan,” Satheesan said, clarifying that welfare schemes are funded by state tax money, not “charity” from any CPI(M) member’s household. He questioned the party’s decorum in treating the very public that defeated them with such disrespect.
​Local Win a Launchpad for Assembly Battle
​Viewing the local poll triumph as a vital boost of energy for the upcoming Assembly elections, which he termed a ‘great war,’ Satheesan expressed confidence in the UDF’s ability to win the next general election.
​He affirmed that preparations for the Assembly polls have already begun and announced that the UDF would present an alternative development blueprint to the public in January. This plan aims to repair Kerala’s shattered economy and bring about fundamental changes in critical sectors like agriculture, health, and education, ensuring accountability in governance.
​The Opposition Leader reiterated his previous pledge to go into political vanavasam (exile) if the UDF fails to secure a bright victory in the Assembly elections, stating it is a promise made to the people of Kerala.
