Indian Union Muslim League workers celebrate UDF victory in Malappuram village. | Photo credit: SAKEER HUSSAIN
The United Democratic Front (UDF) put up its strongest ever performance in the civic body elections in Malappuram district, decisively defeating the Left Democratic Front (LDF) across municipalities, grama panchayats, block panchayats and district panchayats.
The Malappuram District Panchayat faces no opposition for the first time, with the 33-member council not including a single LDF representative. The UDF captured 11 out of 12 municipalities, 87 out of 94 gram panchayats, 14 out of 15 block panchayats and swept all 33 district panchayat divisions in Malappuram.
The LDF managed to hold only Ponnani municipality and the grama panchayats of Niramaruthur, Elamkulam, Vazhayur and Veliyamkode. Election analysts are calling it the “most humiliating” defeat of the LDF in the district’s recent memory. When the UDF wrested the villages of Perinthalmanna and Nilambur from the LDF, it retained the villages of Kondotty, Malappuram, Manjeri, Kottakkal, Parappanangadi, Tanur, Tirur, Tirurangadi and Valanchery.
Perinthalmanna slipped out of LDF’s grasp after three decades of close combat. In the 37-member municipal council, the UDF won 15 seats and the LDF 14, while the Independents won 8 seats. Most of the independents were supported by the UDF.
In the panchayats, it was a complete sweep for the UDF, with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) putting up its best show in recent memory. However, in Ponmundam panchayat, the IUML succumbed to the pressure of the joint coalition of Congress, CPI(M) and other parties. With no UDF or LDF present, the contest was essentially IUML against the rest. Anti-League Janakeeya Munnani won control of Ponmundam panchayat from IUML.
While LDF secured majority in Elamkulam, Niramarathur, Veliyamkode and Vazhayur panchayats, neither LDF nor UDF could secure majority in Pulamanthole and Edappal panchayats. Like Ponnani village, Ponnani is the only block panchayat that favors the LDF. In the 14-ward Ponnani block, the LDF won seven seats, the UDF six and one independent is expected to support the LDF.
In many panchayats across the district, the LDF pursued a strategy of fielding independent candidates with strong local community ties to secure civic associations. In several areas, LDF workers campaigned by asking voters to give “only one vote” to their candidate, while leaving the other two votes (for block and district panchayat seats) to the voters.
The strategy backfired as the UDF targeted the alleged shortcomings of the LDF government in the state. Anti-government sentiment played a key role in voters turning away from the LDF in Malappuram.
Published – 13 Dec 2025 21:04 IST
