Thottathil Raveendran, LDF candidate from Kozhikode North Assembly constituency, interacting with voters at East Hill in Kozhikode on Wednesday. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
As the final list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections is ready, 10 of the 13 sitting MLAs in Kozhikode district are seeking re-election. This time she is not a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) candidate and three councilors in the Kozhikode Corporation have also thrown their hat into the ring.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) had 11 MLAs here after the 2021 elections and the United Democratic Front (UDF) had two elected representatives here. Koyilandy MLA Kanathil Jameela of the CPI(M) died in November 2025. EK Vijayan of the Communist Party of India (CPI), who has represented the Nadapuram constituency since 2011, is not contesting this time. MK Muneer, sitting MLA for Koduvally, was also dropped from the UDF candidate list.
Apart from them, all the serving legislators are now seeking re-election.
Former BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai receives T. Raneesh, BJP candidate from Kozhikode South Assembly constituency, in Kozhikode on Wednesday. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
The candidature of KK Remy of the Revolutionary Marxist Party, who last won from Vadakara with the support of the UDF, was announced on Wednesday. Earlier, the CPI(M) and its allies had announced the candidature of all their sitting MLAs except those mentioned above. K. Dasan, former MLA, was deployed in Koyilandy. In Nadapuram, the LDF candidate from the CPI is P. Vasantham. The UDF has selected Muslim Youth League leader PK Firose for Koduvally.
Candidates
Meanwhile, there are no women candidates from the CPI(M) on the LDF list. The only candidate from the front is Mrs. Vasantham. There are three women candidates in the UDF – Fathima Thahiliya of the IUML in Perambra, Vidya Balakrishnan of the Congress in Elathur and Ms. Rema in Vadakara. The only National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate is Navya Haridas in Kozhikode North.
Another interesting fact is the presence of three councilors in Kozhikode Corporation in the election: T. Raneesh (Kozhikode South) and Ms. Haridas from NDA and Ms. Thahiliya from UDF.
Published – 18 March 2026 21:13 IST
