Rift in NDA averted as BDJS allotted 13 seats in Kochi Corporation

A potential rift in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was averted after the dominant constituent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), allotted 13 seats to alliance partner Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) to contest in the 76-member Kochi Corporation.

Union Minister of State George Kurian released the NDA’s second list of candidates in Kochi on Saturday (November 15, 2025). The BDJS, which had stayed away when the initial list was announced earlier this week, was represented by its State general secretary A.B. Jayaprakash and district president Sujith at the release of the second list.

The BDJS declared nine of its candidates, with the names of the remaining four will be announced shortly. The Shiv Sena declared its sole candidate. The BJP released 16 more names, taking its total declared candidates to 46. In the initial list, the party had announced 30 candidates, while alliance partners Kerala Congress (Nationalist) and National People’s Party (NPP) had declared one each. One more seat is likely to be allotted to the Kerala Congress (Nationalist) and another to the Lok Janashakti Party. This will leave the BJP with the remaining 12, bringing its final tally to 58. The party had five members in the last council.

Releasing the list, Mr. Kurian said the forthcoming local body polls in the State would reflect the nation-wide wave in favour of the NDA.

Since the election notification, the BJP dropped its six-time councillor from Cheralayi ward Shyamala S. Prabhu who has since announced that she will contest as an Independent from the same ward. The party also inducted two sitting councillors of the United Democratic Front in the Corporation — Sunitha Dixon from the Revolutionary Socialist Party and Santha Vijayan of the Congress.

A notable presence among the NDA candidates is Joshi Kaithavalappil, president of the parent-teacher association at St. Rita’s Public School, Palluruthy, which recently made headlines following the hijab (headscarf) row. He will constest from the Palluruthy Kacheripadi division as an NPP candidate.