The Indian National Congress has historical links with Calicut as the pre-Independence Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and some of its top leaders were based in the city, which was part of the erstwhile British Malabar. However, the Congress party did not have an MLA from Kozhikode district after 2006.
The Congress last had its MLA here in 2001. P. Sankaran (Koyilandy) and A. Sujanapal (Kozhikode 1) represented the party in the Assembly. They also became ministers in the cabinets of AK Antony and Oommen Chandy. However, none of the party candidates have won from the district since the 2006 assembly polls.
Buoyed by its success in the recent local body polls, the Congress plans to change the scenario in the upcoming assembly elections by winning at least two seats from here.
In the 2021 polls, Congress candidates contested from Balussera, Beypore, Kozhikode North, Nadapuram and Koyilandy. One of its district leaders, Dinesh Perumanna, also contested as a Muslim League of India-backed candidate from Kunnamangalam. IUML has fielded candidates in Koduvally, Kozhikode South, Kuttiyadi and Thiruvambady. KK Rema of the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) was fielded from Vadakara and the UDF-backed Independents contested from Perambra and Elathur. However, only Ms. Rema and MK Muneer of IUML (Koduvally) won.
This time too, the Congress is likely to contest on at least five seats. According to sources, there are discussions about fielding a party candidate from Elathur. Trinamool Congress leader PV Anvar is likely to get the United Democratic Front ticket from Beypore, from where PA Public Works Minister Mohamed Riyas is all set to seek a second term. Sources said the party hopes to win the Koyilandy and Nadapuram seats and to make an impact in some other seats.
District Congress Committee president K. Praveenkumar, KPCC general secretaries K. Jayanth and Vidya Balakrishnan, Youth Congress leader KM Abhijith and Kerala Students’ Union leader VT Sooraj are some of the possible candidates being considered by the party.
Published – 20 Jan 2026 20:27 IST
