Kottayam (Kerala) 

United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Dhanya has won from Kottayam Municipality Ward 28 in the ongoing Kerala local body elections, as the Congress-led alliance leads in early trends.

The victory comes amid updated trends showing the UDF consolidating its lead in several local bodies.

Counting of votes for the Kerala local body elections 2025 began at 8 am on Saturday across 244 counting centres in Kerala under tight security.

Outside Sarvodaya Vidyalaya ICSE School in Kottayam, enthusiastic UDF party workers gathered as counting continued, with updated trends from the State Election Commission, Kerala, indicating a clearer lead for the United Democratic Front (UDF).

Voting results are being tallied across 244 counting centres under tight security arrangements, with visuals coming in from multiple districts as the process progresses.

According to the latest trends released by the State Election Commission, Kerala, the UDF led by the Congress is leading on 387 wards. The Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), is ahead on 283 wards, while the NDA, spearheaded by the BJP, is leading on 71 wards. Others have taken the lead in 59 wards. The updated figures point to a significant advantage for the UDF compared to earlier trends, especially in several urban and semi-urban pockets.

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Earlier in the day, BJP leader Shaun George had expressed confidence in the NDA's prospects. Speaking to ANI in Kottayam, he said, "We are very confident that the BJP will secure a good margin in the central Kerala belt, and we will also achieve a strong victory this time in South Kerala. People who have traditionally depended on the UDF and Kerala Congress will shift their support to the BJP this time."

With counting underway in several districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Mallappuram, and Kottayam, the final results are expected later today.