New Delhi : Thiruvananthapuram Congress MP Shashi Tharoor struck a notably bipartisan note on Saturday while responding to the results of the Kerala local body elections, congratulating the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) for its sweeping gains across the State, even as he openly acknowledged the BJP’s landmark victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
Tharoor’s remarks have drawn political attention, coming close on the heels of his recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his attendance at the official dinner hosted for visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, an event skipped by senior Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
In a detailed post on X, Tharoor described the outcome as “a day of amazing results”, saying the verdict reflected Kerala’s democratic spirit and sent a clear political message ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
Congratulating the UDF on what he called a “truly impressive win” across local bodies, Tharoor said the results represented a “massive endorsement” of the alliance. He attributed the improved performance over the 2020 elections to sustained grassroots work, clarity of message, and strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been in power since 2016.
At the same time, Tharoor acknowledged the BJP’s breakthrough in the State capital, offering “humble congratulations” to the party for its “historic” performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, a civic body long regarded as a Left stronghold.
Noting that he had campaigned for change after what he described as “45 years of LDF misrule”, Tharoor observed that voters in his constituency had ultimately opted for another party promising a decisive shift in governance.
“That is the beauty of democracy,” he said, stressing that the people’s verdict must be respected, whether it favoured the UDF statewide or the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Kerala, saying: “We will continue to work for the betterment of Kerala, advocating for the people’s needs and upholding the principles of good governance. Onwards and upwards!”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, described the BJP-led NDA’s performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as a “watershed moment” in Kerala’s political history, underscoring what he said was growing acceptance of the party’s development agenda in the State.
The BJP-led NDA reached the halfway mark in the newly expanded 101-member Corporation, winning 50 seats and emerging as the single-largest political force. Polling in one ward at Vizhinjam was postponed following the death of a candidate.
According to the final tally, the CPI(M)-led LDF secured 29 seats, while the Congress-led UDF won 19. Two seats went to Independents, marking a dramatic shift in the capital city’s political balance.
Thanking voters, Prime Minister Modi said the mandate reflected a belief that Kerala’s development aspirations could be met only by the BJP.
“My gratitude to the people across Kerala who voted for BJP and NDA candidates in the local body polls in the State. Kerala is fed up of UDF and LDF. They see NDA as the only option that can deliver on good governance and build a Viksit Keralam with opportunities for all,” he said.
Calling the Thiruvananthapuram result a “watershed moment”, the Prime Minister added that people were convinced the BJP’s development vision was best suited to Kerala’s future needs. He assured continued engagement to accelerate the city’s growth and improve the “ease of living” for its residents.
He also praised party workers, saying, “Today is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of Karyakartas in Kerala, who worked at the grassroots to make this result possible. Our Karyakartas are our strength, and we are proud of them.”
On Sunday, the State BJP unit is scheduled to take out a victory procession through the capital, parading all 50 newly elected councillors in an open vehicle.
