THRISSUR: Although there is a significant difference in the number of seats won by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the assembly elections in Thrissur district, the difference in their vote share is a meagre 0.11%. The LDF won nine out of the total 13 seats, while the UDF bagged the remaining four. However, in terms of vote share, the LDF's figure stands at 40.32%, while that of the UDF is 40.22%. The difference is not significant in absolute numbers either, with the LDF polling 7,99,449 votes out of the total 19,82,752 votes and the UDF bagging 7,97,391, according to data collated by the NGO Open Data Kerala Community.
NDA's Performance in Thrissur
Thrissur became a significant presence in the national-level antenna of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the party winning its first Lok Sabha seat in the state through Suresh Gopi in 2024. However, the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) vote share in the district is only 17.94% even now, and the total votes polled by the alliance is 3,55,757. This figure shows a marginal increase compared with the NDA tally of 3,30,452 in 2021, but even this increase has to be viewed in the backdrop of the fact that the BJP did not have a candidate in Guruvayur in the last elections. Also, the NDA's vote share has drastically come down compared with the figures in the last Parliament elections. The BJP had polled 5,55,007 votes back then and 3,55,757 votes in the assembly elections.
BJP's Vote Decline in Key Seats
Despite fielding Congress turncoat Padmaja Venugopal, the BJP's votes in Thrissur came down from 40,457 in the 2021 assembly polls to 28,622 votes this time. Interestingly, Gopi was the BJP candidate against Padmaja back in 2021. However, the party improved its vote tally in assembly segments such as Nattika, Chalakudy, Chelakkara, and Manalur, while suffering a dip in Irinjalakuda, Pudukkad, and Ollur.
Political Reactions
CPM district secretary K V Abdul Khader said the LDF could hold its ground in Thrissur even amid the massive setback in other parts of the state. Systematic organisational work and the remarkable job done by LDF MLAs in their respective constituencies during their last term are among the factors behind the victory of the front's nominees in the district, he said.
DCC president Joseph Tajet said the UDF could improve its tally from one to four in this assembly polls. He said the defeats in Manalur, Guruvayur, and Pudukkad were only by narrow margins. More importantly, the front is also elated that it could check the growth of the BJP in the district, which was considered an emerging saffron stronghold until recently. "In the last Lok Sabha elections, Congress was in third place in 10 assembly segments in the district and the BJP occupied the first place there. However, the BJP has been relegated to third place in all the 13 assembly seats in the district in this election," Tajet said.
BJP city district president Justin Jacob said the party has improved its tally in constituencies such as Nattika and Manalur and suffered setbacks in segments like Thrissur, Ollur, and Pudukkad. The BJP will examine the reasons for the setback and take steps to strengthen the party, he said.
