TGoy20, a corporate-backed political group that made some electoral gains in the last two local body elections in the eastern belt of Ernakulam district, has attempted something unheard of in Kerala politics by fielding two contestants of popular TV shows as well as two Malayalam film actresses as its candidates in the upcoming assembly elections, besides several other professionals, including a lawyer.
The organisation, which ended its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party almost a year ago, has now partnered with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to become the second largest component in the National Democratic Alliance in Kerala.
However, party supremo and industrialist Sabu M. Jacob had no idea of the political humiliation that awaited him when the candidate list was announced, after which it was revealed that the names of Veena Nair, an actor and the party’s candidate in Ettumanoor, and Lakshmipriya, another actor and the party’s candidate in Perumbavoor, did not figure among the voters. Although the party quickly found replacements for both, the political damage had already been done.
It may take a lot of time and effort for the party to overcome this setback, which they suffered before they even started the journey.
Lots of defectors
The election season also saw the red carpets rolled out for defectors from rival camps and already fielded as candidates, so they wasted no time in cooling off in their new parties.
While political defections are not new in Kerala politics, the state is witnessing defections on an unprecedented scale, with all major political parties pushing the trend.
Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Complete Schedule
It was probably the BJP, desperate to gain a political foothold in the state, that started encouraging dissidents and defectors from other parties by offering them organizational posts and seats to fight; the party has successfully tried the game elsewhere in the country.
Anil Antony and Padmaja Venugopal, children of two senior Congress leaders AK Antony and K Karunakaran, had defected to the BJP earlier, much to the dismay of the Congress. At the same time, the BJP lost its fiery spokesperson Sandeep Varrier, who defected to the Congress and was fielded from the Thrikkaripur Assembly constituency.
However, the biggest loser in this regard was the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) as at least five of its senior party leaders defected to rival political camps. Former Minister of State G. Sudhakaran, Aisha Potty, S. Rajendran, PK Sasi and Karat Rasak, all former MLAs, left the party in quick succession. Two senior CPI (M) leaders from Kannur, V. Kunjukrishnan and TK Govindan, also contributed their strength to the organizational crisis by quitting the party.
More embarrassments awaited the party when, on the eve of the deadline for filing nominations, Smitha Sundaresan, CPI (M) Varkala area committee member and civic representative, decided to embrace the saffron flag. The BJP was quick to field a young woman, who is also the daughter of veteran party leader Sundaresan, from the Varkala constituency currently represented by CPI (M) leader V Joy.
The party further had no luck in its attempts to challenge former Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) legislator Abdurahiman Randathani, who criticized the selection of candidates in the IUML.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) also had its share of problems with two of its former legislators, K Ajith and CC Mukundan, defecting from the party to the BJP. Mr. Mukundan joined the BJP after his failed attempts to garner support from the Congress.
Worrying symptoms
While leaders from the United Democratic Front (UDF) portrayed the unprecedented exodus of CPI(M) leaders from the party as an indication of the winds of political change in the state, the party dismissed it as a “parliamentary fascination” that gripped a section of its leaders.
For a party that has ruled for ten years together, defections are a real challenge, both organizationally and politically. The outcome of the poll would be decisive for the party and the dissidents, as an election victory would strengthen the rebels’ campaign and give it an ideological hue, creating new difficulties for the party.
Published – 25 March 2026 0:54 IST
