A short while from now, the counting of votes polled in the high-stakes, April 9 State Assembly elections will kick off in 140 counting centres across 43 locations in Kerala.

The southern State, which has 140 constituencies, had witnessed a high-voltage electoral battle between the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) this time. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP, which is hoping to reopen its account in the Assembly, remains a strong contender in several key segments.

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.

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’.

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.

Paravur in Ernakulam district has largely remained a safe bet for the Congress. In its electoral history, the constituency stood firm with the party in 10 Assembly elections. The Communist Party of India (CPI), which held Paravur for long, had breached the Congress fort five times.

It was N. Sivan Pillai of the CPI, who won the seat in the maiden contest in 1957. He won the seat on two more occasions in 1982 and 1987 before handing down the mantle to his son the late P. Raju, who represented the constituency in 1991 and 1996.

The CPI won the seat last in 1996 when Mr. Raju defeated then young Congressman and now Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan by a margin of 1,116 votes. A native of Nettoor in Ernakulam, Mr. Satheesan made Paravur his base and worked hard at the grassroots level to win the voters’ hearts.

The efforts paid off as the Congress regained control over the constituency in the 2001 elections when he trounced Mr. Raju by 7,434 votes. There has been no looking back since then as he held the seat for a record five consecutive times.

Rising margin

The Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) attempts to stall the winning streak of the Congress failed to yield results over the last two decades. Mr. Satheesan kept on increasing his margin even after the CPI tried to put up a fight by fielding its leader Pannian Raveendran in the 2011 elections. He defeated Mr. Raveendran by a comfortable margin of 11,349 votes.

The situation was no different in the 2016 elections. Mr. Satheesan defeated Sarada Mohan, daughter of the late CPI veteran P.K. Vasudevan Nair, to secure his fourth win. He almost doubled his victory margin when compared to the performance in the 2011 elections as he romped home with a majority of 20,634 votes.

The consecutive defeats prompted the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to consider fielding its candidate to end Mr. Satheesan’s victory run. However, the CPI leadership refused to budge and fielded its then State committee member M.T. Nixon against him. Despite the Left wave in 2021, Mr. Satheesan retained the seat for the fifth consecutive time with an improved margin of 21,301 votes.

In local bodies

His dominance across the constituency was complete as the Congress had a clear margin in the eight local bodies, including North Paravur municipality and Chendamangalam, Chittattukara, Ezhikkara, Kottuvally, Puthanvelikkara, Varapuzha, and Vadakkekara panchayats.

The National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) performance recorded a dip in 2021 compared to the results in 2016 as A.B. Jayaprakarsh, candidate of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), came third with 12,964 votes. In 2016, its candidate Hari Vijayan had won 28,097 votes. The Congress continued its sway after it won the North Paravur municipality and the panchayats, except Vadakkekara, in the local body elections held in December 2025.

The contest in Paravur this time is eagerly watched across the electoral landscape. A potential Chief Ministerial candidate in the wake of a United Democratic Front win, Mr. Satheesan will enter the fray amidst hopes of raising his lead.

Battered by the continuing setbacks, the CPI has zeroed in on E.T. Taison, currently MLA of Kaipamangalam constituency in Thrissur, this time to take on Mr. Satheesan. Valsala Prasannakumar, former Congress chairperson of North Paravur municipality who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, is among the names in the running for the NDA.