Local body bypolls: UDF tally down in first test under Satheesan as Left makes gains

THE Congress-led UDF faced a major setback in its maiden electoral test after the VD Satheesan-led government took office, losing ground to the LDF in the local body by-elections held across the state on September 28.

According to IANS, results for 38 wards saw the UDF’s tally fall from 22 sitting seats to 19, while the LDF increased its count from 15 to 18. The counting of votes took place on Tuesday. Twenty20, an ally of the BJP-led NDA, retained its lone seat.

More than the overall number, a major highlight was the exchange of sitting seats between the two fronts.

The LDF managed to wrest seven wards previously held by the UDF, while the UDF captured four wards held by the Left, with the results pointing towards a shift in several local pockets rather than a simple consolidation of existing support.

This comes months after the UDF swept the Assembly elections and formed the government under Satheesan.

However, the results for the local body by-elections cannot be treated as a direct measure of the government’s statewide standing, given the limited number of wards involved.

The 38 wards were spread across 12 districts and included different tiers of local government.

For the LDF, which suffered a severe defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the gains provide some political relief.

The Left had entered the bypolls seeking to recover ground after the Assembly rout and had a particular focus on wards vacated by its former local representatives who had moved to the Assembly.

The UDF’s losses were particularly significant in some areas where internal differences and local factors marked the contest.