Kerala operates as a parliamentary representative democratic republic, typical of Indian states. The executive branch is led by the Chief Minister, who is the head of government and commands the majority in the unicameral Kerala Legislative Assembly (Niyamasabha), which consists of 140 elected members. The Governor, appointed by the President of India, serves as the ceremonial head of state.
Administratively, the state is divided into 14 districts, which are further subdivided into taluks, municipalities, and panchayats under a robust decentralized local self-government system. Politically, the state has been historically dominated by two major alliances: the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress, which traditionally alternate in power.