Polling for the first phase of Kerala's local body elections opened on Tuesday, December 9, marking the first big political test before the 2026 Assembly elections. Three main alliances—Congress-led UDF, BJP-led NDA, and the ruling LDF—face off in this crucial battle. Early voter turnout showed promise. In Ernakulam district, 7.88% voted within 1.5 hours, with around 2.10 lakh votes cast from a total 26.67 lakh electorate. Other districts reported turnouts between 6.74% and 7.78% by 8:30 a.m. From 7 a.m., voters queued steadily, showing keen participation across seven districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam. The first phase covers 3 Municipal Corporations, 39 municipalities, 7 district panchayats, 75 block panchayats, and 471 grama panchayats. Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, after voting in Paravoor, said the UDF plans a strong comeback after 2020 setbacks. He noted local body polls reflect political trends before Assembly polls and added, "Anti-incumbency catalysed by the Sabarimala gold theft scandal will propel the UDF to power." Satheesan emphasized UDF’s unity and ground campaigning as advantages. BJP’s Union Minister Suresh Gopi voted in Thiruvananthapuram confidently stating the NDA will win the city’s Municipal Corporation. He also highlighted poor sports facilities, hinting Kerala’s potential as a future Olympic venue. BJP leader S Suresh predicted the NDA would win “not less than 50” seats in the Thiruvananthapuram council. BJP leader Rajiv Chandrasekhar welcomed the encouraging early voter turnout and avoided political comments. The polling day thus began with high voter energy as parties eye the 2026 big showdown.