Elections to local bodies in Kerala, to be held on November 2 and 5, are expected to test new political combinations.
The State Election Commission on Saturday announced that the seven southern and northern districts would go to the polls on November 2, while the remaining other seven would vote on November 5.
Six city corporations, 86 municipalities, 14 district panchayats, 52 block panchayats and 941 gram panchayats are for grabs. Around 25 million people will be eligible to vote and there will be some 35,000 polling booths.
The elections to the local self-government institutions, which generally set the tone for the Assembly elections, will drop the hints as to who will rule the State after the Assembly elections due in May.
While politics dominates the choice of representatives in the local body elections, there is a crucial role for personalities and local issues unlike in the Assembly and parliamentary elections.
The BJP, which has been an insignificant factor in Kerala elections so far, is striving to turn the civic elections to its advantage by striking deals with caste-based organisations and this is going to make these elections different.