All eyes are on the Elathur constituency in Kozhikode, a region traditionally considered a red bastion, which has now become the talk of a spirited multi-cornered contest ahead of the parliamentary polls.
Despite the deep-seated influence of the CPI(M), the seat has been allotted to the National Congress Party (NCP) in the LDF since its inception in 2008. NCP leader and Forest and Wildlife Minister AK Saseendran successfully defended the constituency in three consecutive elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021.
As the elections approach, two major questions dominate the political discourse – whether Mr Saseendran will seek a fourth term given his advanced age, or whether the CPI(M) will finally win the seat to field its own candidate to consolidate its local dominance.
The segment has a demographic profile in which about 75% of the population is Hindu, almost equally divided between the Thiyya and Nair communities, while more than 20% belong to the Muslim community. It includes six divisions of the Kozhikode Corporation and six grama panchayats, most of which have historically leaned towards the LDF.
In December 2025, LDF won Chettikuum, Eranhikkal, Mokavur and Puthiyappa divisions in the civic body as well as chelarnur and Kakkodi Grama Panchays. The Congress-led UDF emerged victorious in Elathur division and Kakkur, Kuruvatur and Tthalakkulathur local bodies, while the Namanda Panchayt Emerged Event teetered between the two.
The results indicate more competition than in the previous Assembly elections as the CPI(M) never directly tested its electoral strength in Elathur. Incidentally, despite the lack of a visible party base, Mr. Saseendran secured a lead of 38,502 votes in the 2021 elections. His expected renomination has already sparked internal dissent within the NCP.
This internal paralysis has revived speculation that the CPI(M) may retake the seat and offer the NCP another constituency, a move that even a section within the NCP seems willing to accept.
On the UDF side, the Congress wants to challenge Elathur directly this time, buoyed by gains in local opinion polls. Five years ago, the UDF offered the seat to the Kerala Democratic Party led by Mani C. Kappan, creating discontent among Congress workers. The party is now hoping that fielding its own candidate, coupled with organizational consolidation and anti-incumbency sentiment, will help it win the seat.
Adding to the complexity is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is steadily expanding its footprint in select pockets of the constituency. In the 2021 assembly elections, the BJP candidate got over 32,000 votes, representing 19.6% of the total votes. The party hopes to increase its vote share in the upcoming polls and turn the contest into a triangle.
Published – 25 Jan 2026 21:06 IST
