Kerala Assembly election – Artifex.News

Kerala Assembly election 2026 LIVE updates: Polling commences in 140 constituencies across the State

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:37:00 +0000

Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: A do-or-die battle for major fronts, their skippers

The stakes are so high in the Kerala State Assembly polls on April 9 that the public campaign has been no-holds-barred, often descending into ad hominem attacks that have breached the bounds of civility.

The Congress, and the United Democratic Front (UDF) by extension, is in a swim-or-sink situation, as evident from its skipper V.D. Satheesan’s vow to relinquish politics if the alliance loses the polls. Having been in the political wilderness for a decade, a period that also saw the Kerala Congress (Mani) crossing over to the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second-largest party in the UDF, cannot afford to sit out of power for another five years. Such an outcome, it is believed, could lead to a loss of face for the Congress nationally, an internal collapse of the organisational structure, and a possible disintegration of the alliance.

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Kerala Assembly polls 2026: campaign trail heats up in Kundara as three major fronts intensify their reach-out programmes

admin — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 20:07:00 +0000

UDF candidate P.C. Vishnunadh during an election campaign at Kundara Assembly constituency in Kollam on April 4, 2026.
| Photo Credit: C. SURESHKUMAR

The electoral landscape in Kundara is reaching a fever pitch as the three major fronts intensify their reach-out programmes, each injecting a unique energy into the campaign. From places of worship to cashew factories and busy junctions, the air is thick with political rhetoric and the promise of a transformed future for this important constituency in Kollam.

At a local cashew factory, sitting MLA P.C. Vishnunadh of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) sets a personal and empathetic tone. Known for his approachable demeanour, Mr. Vishnunadh spends considerable time listening to the grievances of women workers, whose livelihoods are tethered to the struggling cashew sector. His campaign strategy leans heavily on his accessibility and his track record over the last five years, which he describes as a period of being “with the people” through every developmental milestone.

He challenges skeptics to verify his performance through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, positioning himself as a hard-working opposition representative who had to navigate government discrimination to bring projects to fruition. Confident in his ‘attimari vijayam’ from 2021 against J. Mercykutty Amma, Mr. Vishnunadh remains certain that the people will ignore baseless allegations and reward him with an even larger majority this time around, predicting a landslide 100-seat victory for the UDF across the State.

LDF candidate S.L. Sajikumar during campaigns in Kundara.
| Photo Credit:
C. SURESHKUMAR

At Kottamkara, Left Democratic Front (LDF)’s S.L. Sajikumar presents a starkly different narrative, focussing on what he describes as a period of stagnation. His campaign is characterised by high-energy interactions – waving to supporters and engaging in discussions about the political relevance of the polls. Mr. Sajikumar’s core argument is that while Kerala has progressed rapidly, Kundara has been left behind under the current leadership. He frequently invokes the legacy of the Ms. Mercykutty Amma, noting that development works worth ₹1,400 crore were implemented during her tenure. According to Mr. Sajikumar, the sitting MLA has merely coasted on these existing projects without initiating anything new. He promises a complete overhaul of the constituency, pledging to bring multiple projects that will mark Kundara’s presence on the map across all sectors if the Left is returned to power.

Adding a third dimension to the contest is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s Robin Radhakrishnan, who has infused the campaign with celebrity charisma and a focus on ‘change’.

NDA candidate Robin Radhakrishnan during an election campaign at Kundara Assembly constituency in Kollam on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
C. SURESHKUMAR

Sweeping through Elampallur with a spirited entourage in tow, he pauses to solicit the blessings of an elderly woman, who responds by gently resting her hand on his head. His assessment of the current state of affairs is biting, as he asserts that progress in vital sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure has ground to a halt. Dr. Robin vows to reinvent Kundara as a model constituency and offers a bold political guarantee — to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the region within 90 days of his victory, providing a direct channel for residents to voice their concerns to the nation’s top leadership.

As the candidates criss-cross the constituency, the voters are presented with three distinct visions: Mr. Vishnunadh’s appeal for continuity, Mr. Sajikumar’s promise of a brighter era and Dr. Robin’s call for a radical shift toward a model future backed by the union government. With the high-stakes battle for the seat reflecting the larger political climate of Kerala, the trail through Kundara is not just about local issues, but a fight for the very identity of the constituency’s future.

Published – April 05, 2026 01:50 am IST

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Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Bitter battle for nine seats that can turn electoral fortunes

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:26:00 +0000

Major three-cornered contests are happening in at least nine constituencies in Kerala that could even determine the final outcome of the upcoming Assembly election scheduled for April 9.

Of these constituencies, Nemom, Kazhakkoottam, Vattiyoorkkavu, and Aranmula are in the southern part of the State; Pala, Thrissur, and Nattika are in Central Kerala; and Palakkad and Manjeshwaram are in North Kerala. While six of these have MLAs from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by Communist Party of India (Marxist), the rest are represented by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).

Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram district is so far the only constituency in Kerala to have elected a member from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to the Assembly. Senior BJP leader O. Rajagopal had defeated K. Sivankutty of the LDF in 2016. Mr. Sivankutty wrested the seat back in the 2021 polls as he defeated Kummanam Rajasekharan of the BJP by a margin of 3,949 votes. K. Muraleedharan of the UDF was pushed to the third spot. The difference in vote share between the LDF and NDA nominees was just around three percentage points. Mr. Sivankutty is now pitted against BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and K.S. Sabarinadhan of the UDF, who is a councillor in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and a former MLA.

Also read| Kerala Assembly elections: Who is in power in Kerala? Key alliances & Opposition leaders

In Vattiyurkavu too, NDA candidates had finished second in the 2016 (Mr. Rajasekharan) and 2021 elections (V.V. Rajesh). However, the Congress could claim the second spot in the 2019 bypoll when V.K. Prasanth, the incumbent MLA, was first elected to the Assembly. Mr. Prashanth is now seeking a third term. His NDA rival is R. Sreelekha, a former DGP and a councillor in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The UDF candidate is Mr. K. Muraleedharan, who won the Assembly polls from here in 2011 and 2016.

Kazhakkottam is another segment where the NDA is on a strong wicket. The BJP had finished second here in the previous two elections. In 2021, Kadakampally Surendran of the LDF had defeated Shobha Surendran of the NDA by a margin of 23,497 votes. In 2016, Mr. Surendran’s victory was against the BJP’s V. Muraleedharan by a margin of 7,347 votes. The difference in vote share was 5.48 percentage points. Right now, Mr. Surendran is contesting against Mr. V. Muraleedharan again. The UDF candidate is T. Sharatchandra Prasad, a former MLA. The NDA’s hopes rest on its recent victory in the local body polls in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

Also read| Kerala State Assembly Elections 2026: Sitting CM & Ministers

The BJP is waging a high-stakes battle in the temple town of Aranmula in Pathanamthitta, where Health Minister Veena George of the LDF is seeking a third term. She had defeated K. Sivadasan Nair of the Congress in 2016(by 7,646 votes) and 2021 (by 19,003 votes). The NDA has fielded Mr. Rajasekharan from here in a bid to utilise his popularity during the agitation against the proposed Aranmula Airport. The Congress nominee is Abin Varkey, who could influence a section of the community votes that reportedly went in favour of Ms. George in earlier elections.

Thrissur had witnessed a close contest in the 2021 polls after which LDF candidate P. Balachandran of the Communist Party of India (CPI) just scraped through with a victory margin of 946 votes. The nearest rivals were Padmaja Venugopal of the UDF and Suresh Gopi of the NDA, respectively. Ms. Venugopal is the NDA candidate now and Mr. Gopi had won the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from here. While the UDF has now fielded former Mayor Rajan Pallan, the LDF candidate is poet Alankode Leelakrishnan.

Meanwhile, the Palakkad seat is already hogging the limelight with Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleging a “deal” between the Left and the BJP here. According to Mr. Satheesan, the LDF has put up an Independent candidate here, hotelier NMR Razak, to split anti-BJP votes that could go in favour of the UDF candidate, actor Ramesh Pisharody. The NDA candidate here Ms. Shobha Surendran, who had finished second in the 2016 elections.In the 2021 polls, Shafi Parambil, currently a Lok Sabha MP for Vadakara, had a narrow victory over ‘Metro man’ E. Sreedharan of the NDA by a margin of 3,859 votes. The UDF decided not to field Rahul Mamkootathil, the incumbent MLA who had won a byelection by a huge margin in 2024, after sexual abuse charges were levelled against him.

Manjeshwaram also has a history of the NDA narrowly missing a chance to win from here. In 2016, K. Surendran, who later became the State president of the BJP, lost to the Indian Union Muslim League’s P.B. Abdul Razak, the UDF candidate, by a margin of just 89 votes. K. Sundara, an Independent, had polled 467 votes. Mr. Surendran again lost in 2021, this time to the UDF’s A.K.M. Ashraf, by a margin of 855 votes. The NDA and the UDF have repeated their candidates here while the LDF has nominated K.R. Jayananda.

Though Pala in Kottayam and Nattika in Thrissur have not had a triangular poll fight so far, this election could be a different story. In Pala, Kerala Congress (Mani) chairman Jose K. Mani of the LDF is taking on incumbent MLA Mani C. Kappan of the UDF again. The NDA has fielded Shone George, the son of former Poonjar MLA P.C. George. In Nattika, incumbent MLA C.C. Mukundan, who was earlier with the CPI, is contesting as an NDA candidate against the former MLA Geetha Gopi. Sunil Laloor is the UDF nominee.

Published – March 26, 2026 10:55 pm IST

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Close fight on the cards in Kerala’s bellwether constituency — Ollur

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 21:57:00 +0000

The political battle here is largely between the CPI-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF, though the BJP-led NDA has gradually expanded its vote share. F
| Photo Credit: K.K. Najeeb

One of the most intriguing contests in the upcoming Kerala Assembly election is expected in Ollur constituency in Thrissur district — a seat widely regarded as a bellwether of the State’s political mood.

Though there is no scientific basis to the claim, Ollur has built a reputation since 1982 for electing candidates from the front that eventually forms the government in the State.

In 1982, when the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by K. Karunakaran came to power, Ollur elected Congress candidate Raghavan Puzhakadavil. In 1987, when the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by E.K. Nayanar formed the government, voters backed Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate A.M. Paraman.

The trend continued in subsequent elections as well. P.P. George (Congress) won in 1991, C.N. Jayadevan (CPI) in 1996, P.P. George again in 2001, Rajaji Mathew Thomas (CPI) in 2006 and M.P. Vincent (Congress) in 2011 — each victory aligning with the coalition that eventually formed the government in Kerala.

In 2016, CPI’s K. Rajan wrested the constituency from the Congress in 2016 and retained it in 2021. Mr. Rajan, who is at present Kerala’s Revenue Minister, is seeking re-election from Ollur.

Unique profile

The constituency’s unique social and geographical profile makes it politically complex. Located on the outskirts of Thrissur city, Ollur blends urban and rural characteristics. The constituency stretches from the industrial belt of Ollur town to the paddy fields and hilly terrain from Pattikkad to Peechi.

The political battle here is largely between the CPI-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF, though the BJP-led NDA has gradually expanded its vote share.

Ollur initially favoured Congress-backed candidates, but the Left slowly strengthened its organisational network, particularly through labour movements. The LDF today retains a strong cadre base in working-class areas and among trade unions, while the Congress has a presence among urban voters and middle-class families.

In the 2021 Assembly election, Mr. Rajan secured a decisive victory with 76,657 votes (49.09%). Congress candidate Jose Valloor followed with 55,151 votes (35.31%), while BJP candidate B. Gopalakrishnan polled 22,295 votes (14.28%), indicating the NDA’s growing presence among urban and suburban voters.

Local issues crucial

Local issues are likely to shape the electoral contest. “Wildlife attacks and the delay in getting land titles are major issues here,” says Subhash, who runs a small eatery near Puthur.

The LDF is expected to highlight Mr. Rajan’s performance as Revenue Minister as a key campaign plank. Among the flagship projects is the Puthur Zoological Park, a wildlife habitat designed by Australian zoo architect Jon Coe. Spread across 336 acres, the park is projected as a landmark development initiative in Thrissur.

The distribution of a large number of land titles to high-range farmers is another achievement highlighted by the Left front. Infrastructure development, including the Hill Highway project passing through parts of Thrissur district, is also likely to feature in the campaign narrative.

Religious demographics play a significant role here. Ollur has a substantial Christian population, with the area often referred to locally as “Chinna Roma” or “Little Rome” because of the high concentration of Syro-Malabar Catholic families.

In local body polls

The constituency comprises four panchayats — Madakkathara, Nadathara, Pananchery and Puthur — along with nine divisions of the Thrissur Corporation and portions of a few other divisions. In the last local body elections, the LDF won two panchayats while the UDF secured the other two. The UDF, however, enjoys a slight edge in several Corporation divisions.

With its complex mix of urban and rural voters, strong religious influence and a history of switching political loyalties, Ollur once again promises to be one of the most closely watched constituencies in Kerala’s electoral battle.

Published – March 15, 2026 03:26 am IST

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