With decades of decentralisation empowering municipalities & corps, local bodies have become the most effective leadership training ground

There is a growing pattern in Kerala where several sitting mayors have opted not to contest the upcoming local body polls!

This move has sparked speculation that they are being groomed for candidacy in the 2026 state assembly elections. The trend is presented as a shift in the political grooming pipeline, from traditional student politics to local-body governance.

Dr D Dhanuraj, Chairman of Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), welcomed the development in speaking to The New Indian Express, noting:

“This is common worldwide. Even in India, several leaders during the freedom struggle had served as mayors or deputy mayors. Local-level politicians should be promoted. They know the issues on the ground and can represent their constituencies more effectively,”

he is quoted as saying, adding that such a trend also helps strengthen a party’s organisational base.

As Kerala enters the local-body elections, the absence of several mayors from the ballot reflects more than just a political reshuffle. It signals a clear shift in the state’s political trajectory: local bodies are increasingly becoming launch pads to the Legislative Assembly. Many of today’s mayors now appear poised to take their next step in state-level politics.

Read the full article by The New Indian Express here.

Views expressed by the author are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.