In Kerala's Thrissur district, eight Congress councillors resigned and allied with the BJP to elect an independent candidate, Tessy Jose Kallarakkal, as president of the Mattathur grama panchayat. This move ended the Left Democratic Front's 23-year dominance. The alliance secured 12 votes, defeating the LDF candidate who received 10 votes. The resignations followed a Congress rebel's switch to the LDF, prompting the eight councillors to cite unfair treatment by party leadership.