Kerala Local Body Election: BJP Has No Candidates in 3,008 Wards

Thiruvananthapuram: In the upcoming local body elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will have no candidates in 3,008 wards across Kerala. This contrasts sharply with the party’s earlier claim that it would contest in every ward in the state. Data shows that the BJP failed to field candidates in 2,142 grama panchayat wards, 265 block panchayat divisions, and 596 municipal wards. Additionally, the party has no candidates in five divisions of the Ernakulam Corporation.

Political observers allege that the BJP’s absence in these constituencies may be a strategic move to indirectly support the United Democratic Front (UDF). There are also claims that the Congress is offering reciprocal assistance by allowing BJP leaders to contest in certain wards through ally accommodations. In other locations, the Congress is reportedly fielding intentionally weak candidates, further strengthening speculation of tacit cooperation between the two parties.