THE final results of the local body elections in Kerala show the following:

1. Unlike what was initially reported, the LDF has won more municipalities than the UDF (40 to 35).  With this, the LDF has won or got a majority in all five categories – gram panchayat, block panchayat, district panchayat, municipalities and corporation.

2. At the gram panchayat level, the LDF won more panchayats than last time in 2015 (549 to 551).  Moreover, in the total number of gram panchayat wards, the LDF increased the number of seats won last time from 7943 to 7991.  This increase in the base seats of the panchayats is significant. It has not happened in Kerala before where the incumbent government’s political front has expanded its grass-root electoral support at the gram panchayat level. 

3.  The percentage of votes polled by the LDF has increased to 42.53 compared to 41.85 in 2015, while the UDF vote has decreased to 38.66 per cent from 40.23 per cent in 2015 and the BJP has increased from 14.21 per cent to 15.50 per cent.