Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine with Kerala Congress (M) President Jose K. Mani in Idukki on Thursday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Ahead of the official release of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, its ally Kerala Congress (M) (KC(M)) has officially named Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine as its candidate in the Idukki constituency.
This was announced by KC(M) Chairman Jose K. Mani on Thursday during LDF’s Vikasana Munnetta Yatra in Kattappana. While announcing his candidature, Mr. Mani highlighted Mr. Augustin’s role in rebuilding the Idukki constituency through various development projects after the disastrous August 2018 floods.
Mr. Augustine has represented the Idukki constituency since 2001. Although he contested as a United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate till 2021, he successfully defended the seat as an LDF candidate after the KC(M) changed its alliance. Both the KC(M) and the LDF are banking on a repeat victory, citing his long-standing personal relationship with the local electorate.
The Idukki seat has traditionally been a stronghold of the Kerala Congress parties on both fronts. However, as the UDF voter lost in 2021, the district Congress leadership demanded that the party take over the seat and field a candidate under the “hands” symbol.
A senior Congress official in Idukki said the party expects KC president PJ Joseph to relinquish the seat to the Congress this term. “The UDF has already decided to field a strong candidate under the Congress symbol to win back Idukki from Mr Augustin. In the recent local body elections, fielding candidates under the Congress symbol led to a landslide victory in the region,” the leader said.
According to party sources, the Congress currently rules nine of the ten panchayats in the constituency as well as Kattappana village. Sources said they expected the positive results in the local body polls to carry over to the assembly elections.
While the UDF and the National Democratic Alliance are yet to finalize their candidates for the district, other LDF voters have made their moves. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has decided to field former MLA KK Jayachandran in Udumbanchola and sitting MLA A. Raja in Devikulam. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India has fielded district secretary K. Salim Kumar as its candidate for the Peerumade constituency.
Aam Aadmi Party has announced Basil John as its candidate in Thodupuzha constituency.
Published – 13 March 2026 21:21 IST
