Overview
- With nominations closed, the LDF logged four uncontested wins in Kannur—two in Anthoor municipality and two in Malapattam grama panchayat—pending official declaration after the withdrawal window, with the final candidate list due Nov. 24 and Malabar voting on Dec. 11.
- Kannur Congress leaders alleged UDF nominees faced threats in Anthoor, including the reported kidnapping of a candidate, and improper rejection of papers in Malapattam, charges leveled at election officials and denied any formal confirmation in the reports.
- The LDF confronted a coalition rift in Thrissur Corporation as Kerala Congress (M) announced its own candidates in three general divisions after saying it was sidelined, and the party submitted a complaint to chairperson Jose K. Mani.
- In Kalamassery’s Unchira ward, four-term CPI(M) councillor V.N. Dileepkumar entered the race as an independent after being denied a ticket, setting up a contest against official nominee K. T. Manoj.
- Campaign lines hardened as Opposition leader V. D. Satheesan criticized the state government over debt levels and alleged complicity by a CPI(M) leader in the Sabarimala gold-cladding case, while broader analyses note an LDF edge in much of north Kerala and a spoiler role for the BJP in select urban wards.