As civic elections approach, the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) are making a strong push to strengthen their presence in Malappuram’s local bodies, the district boasting the highest number of panchayats and municipalities.
The UDF holds a strong position in Malappuram district, ruling the district panchayat with 26 out of 32 divisions won in the 2020 local body election. It controls 68 of 92 grama panchayats, nine of 12 municipalities, and 12 of 15 block panchayats in the district.
In the 2020 elections, the UDF maintained its unity in most local bodies in Malappuram. However, it faced internal conflicts in panchayats such as Ponmundam, Karuvarakundu and Makkaraparamba, where the Congress and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had disagreements despite reconciliation efforts by the UDF leadership.
The Congress-IUML rift in the Ponmundam, Karuvarakundu and Makkaraparamba panchayats proved challenging for the UDF district leadership. The infighting cost the UDF dearly, with the Karuvarakundu panchayat slipping to the LDF due to the factional fight.
The UDF is optimistic about strengthening its hold in the district this time around, having addressed most local issues, except for the differences in the Ponmundam, Karuvarakundu, and Makkaraparamba panchayats.