Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 14 -- Riding on anti-incumbency sentiments against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) swept the elections to the three-tier rural and urban local bodies in Kerala, widely dubbed the semi-final before the Assembly elections next year, while the BJP scripted history by winning power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the first time. The elections were conducted in two phases on December 9 and 11 with 73.69% of the eligible 2.86 crore voters exercising their franchise to elect their representatives at the grassroots level in Grama Panchayats (GP), Block Panchayats (BP), District Panchayats (DP), Municipalities and Municipal Corporations (MC). According to the results published by the State Election Commission (SEC), the UDF won 505 of the 941 GPs, 79 of the 142 BPs, 7 of the 14 DPs, 54 of 87 municipalities and four of the six MCs. The results are a stunning turnaround for the UDF, which had suffered a drubbing at the hands of the LDF in the last polls in 2020. That year, it could only win 321 GPs, 38 BPs, 3 DPs, 41 municipalities and 1 MC. With momentum not on its side then, the UDF had gone on to lose the 2021 Assembly polls, for the second consecutive time, to the LDF. This time, it has reasons to cheer. The UDF not only retained its traditional bastions in districts like Ernakulam, Kottayam and Malappuram, but it also made heavy inroads into Left pocket boroughs in districts like Kannur and Kozhikode. In Kollam corporation, which has been governed by the LDF since 2000 when it was formed, the UDF clinched a decisive victory, winning 27 of the 56 wards. Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan was ecstatic about the results and said it was the biggest victory of the UDF in the seven local body polls held in Kerala since the panchayati raj system came into existence in 1995. "All the parties in the UDF functioned as one. UDF is not just a collective of various parties, but it is a political platform encompassing several social factors. The mandate underlines it," Satheesan told reporters. "The number one reason for the LDF defeat is that the people hate the current government. In the past, people have often given mandates opposing a government. But this time, the verdict underlines that the people hate the administration. The CPM's communal tendencies led to this result," he added. The UDF, in its campaign throughout, had flagged the Sabarimala gold theft case, in which two CPI(M) leaders are currently in jail, as one of its pivotal talking-points along with alleged deficiencies in the health and education systems of the state. The CPI(M)-led LDF, which has historically performed well in local body polls due to its well-oiled grassroots machinery, suffered one of its heaviest defeats, with its rivals making deep inroads into its traditional bastions in districts like Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kozhikode and Kannur. The LDF, which performed spectacularly in the 2015 and 2020 local body polls and went on to register thumping victories in the 2016 and 2021 Assembly polls, will feel shorn of momentum heading into the Assembly polls just five months away. The results show that it was able to give a tough fight to the UDF only in DPs, where the two fronts will enjoy power in 7 DPs each. Even in Kozhikode, the sole municipal corporation it won this time, the LDF does not enjoy a simple majority and will have to pacify Independents and rebel councillors to hang on to power. Hours after the results trickled in, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a short statement, said, "The LDF did not achieve the results it expected in the local body polls. Although we were expecting a giant victory, we have not been able to make advances. We will examine the results in detail and make the necessary corrections before moving forward." For the BJP, the biggest cheers were heard in the state capital, where it rode away to a dazzling victory in Thiruvananthapuram MC, winning 50 of the 101 wards, just one shy of the halfway mark. In doing so, it ended the 45-year uninterrupted rule of the LDF in the corporation. In the 2015 and 2020 local polls, the BJP had emerged as the principal opposition with 35 wards. Former DGP R Sreelekha and senior party leader VV Rajesh, both of whom are considered the principal contenders for mayor's post, won their respective wards of Sasthamangalam and Kodunganoor respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a post on X, "The mandate the BJP-NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala's politics. The people are certain that the development aspirations of the state can only be addressed by our party. Our party will work towards this vibrant city's growth and boost 'ease of living' for the people." The NDA is set to enjoy power in 26 grama panchayats, up from 20 last time, and is in the driving seat in two municipalities -- Palakkad and Thripunithura. In both urban bodies, it emerged as the single largest party and will have to work with Independents to remain in power. At the same time, the party suffered a setback in Thrissur Corporation where it could only win in 8 wards and had dreamt of coming to power. In the 2024 LS polls, in which BJP's Suresh Gopi had won, the saffron party had led in 34 segments of the civic body. The NDA has also drawn zero seats in both block panchayats and district panchayats. BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who faced his first electoral test after assuming office, said the mandate was clear that the people of the state want corruption-free good governance. "The people have signalled that they are ready to oppose the decades of corrupt politics espoused by the Left and UDF," he said....