Pandalam municipality in south Kerala recorded a lower voter turnout of 71.28% in this election, down from 76.35% in 2020, stirring unease among political parties. Of 35,623 registered voters, only 25,391 cast their votes, fewer than five years ago despite more voters on the rolls. Pandalam, near the famous Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, remains the only urban stronghold of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the district. This election saw a tight three-way race across 34 wards. Political parties campaigned fiercely, focusing on development, civic issues, and heavily on Sabarimala-related matters. The town recently hosted protests linked to the Sabarimala gold scandal, which kept tensions high. The United Democratic Front (UDF) believes the turnout shows their chances improve. A senior UDF leader said, "People turning up in such numbers, even in these conditions, shows we are going to improve our position significantly." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district president V.A. Sooraj dismissed concerns over the turnout dip. He stated, "This is a municipality of core BJP families. We ensured every loyal vote was cast." He added the lower turnout reflects absentee voters, not lack of support. BJP is confident it will secure a consecutive term relying on its strong base. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) ignored turnout talk and criticized the BJP’s past campaigns. A Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said, "Five years ago, the BJP rode the Sabarimala women-entry agitation to whip up resentment. That script collapsed this time." The leader claimed the BJP could not recreate the previous emotional surge and that anger against the LDF is much less than BJP hoped. The muted voter turnout contrasts with the political heat in Pandalam, making the final results highly awaited.