The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) registered a decisive victory in Munambam in the Kerala local body elections, delivering a significant political breakthrough for the BJP in a ward that has been at the centre of a prolonged dispute involving the Kerala State Waqf Board.
Munambam has witnessed sustained protests for over a year by more than 500 Christian families who have opposed an alleged claim by the Waqf Board over their land, fearing eviction. The NDA’s emphatic win in the ward has been widely seen as a mandate in favour of the BJP’s stand against the disputed claim and its support for the affected residents.
Kerala BJP general secretary Anoop Antony Joseph described the result as “historic”, stating that the people of Munambam had responded to the BJP’s consistent support during the agitation. He said the Modi government and the BJP stood with the residents in their fight against what they allege is an illegal Waqf claim, and that the verdict reflected public endorsement of that position.
Historic victory for NDA in the Munambam ward in local body elections, where 500 Christian families face the threat of eviction due to illegal claims by Waqf.
Modi ji’s govt and BJP stood with the Munambam people in fighting the Waqf, and they have now chosen BJP as their… pic.twitter.com/6h4n9ux1hO
— Anoop Antony Joseph (@AnoopKaippalli) December 13, 2025
The Munambam victory is expected to provide a major boost to the BJP as it looks to expand its footprint in Kerala ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, in a state where the party has traditionally struggled to secure electoral space. The NDA has also posted strong performances in other key areas, including the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, where it is currently ahead in the constituency represented by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
NDA Gains Amid Tight Statewide Contest
Counting of votes for the Kerala local body elections 2025 is underway across the state, with early trends indicating a closely contested battle primarily between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), even as the NDA shows signs of incremental gains.
Vote counting began at 8 AM on Saturday, 13 December 2025, at 244 counting centres under tight security. As per data available from the State Election Commission at 12.00 pm, the UDF was leading in 451 Grama Panchayat seats, while the LDF was ahead in 371 seats. The NDA was leading in 27 seats, with others ahead in 10 seats, out of a total of 941 Grama Panchayat seats.
Reacting to the trends, BJP leader Shaun George expressed confidence about the NDA’s performance, stating that the alliance was expecting stronger results in central and south Kerala. He added that sections traditionally aligned with the UDF and Kerala Congress were increasingly shifting their support towards the BJP.
Counting is continuing in several districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram and Kottayam, with final results expected later in the day as the process progresses.
Source: Mathrubhumi & India Today
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