Campaigning for Kerala's local body elections first phase officially ended at 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Candidates toured their areas in loud, colorful roadshows filled with election songs, crackers, and traditional percussion. Motorcycle rallies and flag-waving party workers added to the festive yet fierce mood. This phase covers three Municipal Corporations, 39 municipalities, seven district panchayats, and 75 block panchayats across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam districts. Voting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9. The fight is intense among Kerala's main players: ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). These polls are seen as a key sign of public mood before the big 2026 Assembly elections. The campaign was hot with last-minute political attacks over issues like the Sabarimala gold theft and controversies involving Rahul Mamkootathil, an expelled Congress MLA. Accusations flew about seeking communal votes and secret deals, overshadowing basic civic concerns such as trash collection, inflation, poor roads, and slow NH-66 highway work. Out of power for nearly two terms, the UDF views these elections as a crucial fight for survival. The NDA hopes to break the LDF-UDF dominance. Meanwhile, the ruling LDF wants to prove it can win again. They point to welfare pension hikes for 62 lakh people and better services in healthcare, education, and infrastructure as their strength. As the spirited campaigning closed, Kerala’s top leaders — Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (LDF), Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan (UDF), and BJP State President Rajiv Chandrasekhar — showed strong confidence in their chances.