Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) made notable gains in local-body bypolls on Monday, winning seven wards, while the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) saw its tally slip, according to media reports.

Reports put the UDF at 19 and the LDF at 18 of the contested seats, though some outlets reported slightly different totals of 18 and 16 respectively. What all agreed on was that the LDF picked up ground in several wards the UDF had once held.

The bypolls were the last local electoral test before the 2026 Kerala assembly elections, making them a closely watched barometer of the political mood in the state.

UDF leaders attributed the setback to local factors in individual wards, while LDF leaders called the results an endorsement of the state government’s welfare schemes and grassroots organisation.

Polling had been held across panchayats, municipalities and corporations where seats had fallen vacant, and counting took place on Monday, September 29.