The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has achieved its best-ever performance in Kerala by winning three Assembly seats, marking a significant breakthrough in a state traditionally dominated by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), according to the IANS.
The party capped its performance with a dramatic last-round victory in Kazhakootam.
Former Union Minister V Muraleedharan defeated CPI(M) leader Kadakampally Surendran by a narrow margin of just 265 votes.
The contest remained closely fought throughout the counting process, with multiple lead changes before Muraleedharan pulled ahead in the final round.
Key victories in Nemom and Chathanoor
The BJP’s gains were supported by earlier wins in Nemom and Chathanoor.
In Nemom, Rajeev Chandrasekhar secured a significant victory, helping the party reclaim a seat it had previously won in 2016 through O Rajagopal, reported the IANS.
The constituency had been lost in 2021 to CPI(M) leader V Sivankutty, making this result particularly notable.
Meanwhile, in Chathanoor, BB Gopakumar registered the party’s first win of the election cycle by defeating CPI candidate R Rajendran.
The victory marked a shift from previous elections where the BJP had often finished as runner-up in similar constituencies.
Shift in Kerala’s political landscape
Political observers say that while the BJP’s overall tally remains limited, winning three seats represents a meaningful expansion in its presence, as per the IANS.
The results suggest that the party is becoming increasingly competitive, particularly in urban constituencies in and around the state capital.
Party leaders described the outcome as “historic”, noting the challenges of gaining ground in Kerala’s established political system.
With victories in Nemom, Chathanoor and Kazhakootam, the BJP appears to be moving beyond a symbolic presence towards a more stable electoral footing, which could influence future Assembly elections in the state.
Telangana CM congratulates party
Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday congratulated Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior Congress leaders and also the party`s activists for the victory of UDF in Kerala.
“I join all Congress party leaders and cadre to congratulate our leadership, especially RahulGandhi, Mallikarjun kharge , Priyanka Gandhi , KC Venugopal and Deepa Dasmunsi for leading to this historical win,” he said in a post on X.
(with IANS inputs)