The heat is relentless – and so is the competition. In the Manalur Assembly constituency, campaigning is no longer just about speeches and slogans. It’s about moments. Personal, powerful and political.
With no clear trend and margins too close to call, Manalur is witnessing one of the most intense electoral battles in the last decade. Each front sees it as a battle for prestige. Each candidate pushes beyond the conventional.
In Brahmakulam, the campaign took an unexpected turn for TN Prathapana, the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate. Student VI. Class Minhaj waited patiently for him. When Mr. Prathapan arrived, the boy stepped forward with a simple request: cut his birthday cake together. Surrounded by people, cake was cut, sweets were shared and politics gave way for a brief moment to pure connection.
“That’s my strength,” says Mr. Prathapan. “I am one of the people. I have a place in their hearts.”
Confident as ever, he adds: “Some leaders don’t just compete – they rewrite history. I have no doubts about my victory.”
Mr. Prathapan, a three-time MLA and former MP who has never tasted defeat, is leading a high-voltage campaign – mixing citizen engagement with technology-driven outreach such as augmented reality-enabled voter connectivity and a structured election war room. His 10-point guarantee promises rapid implementation within ten months, focusing on what he calls the “lost decade” in Manaluru.
A farmer offering bananas to LDF candidate C. Ravindranath during his campaign in Manaluru. | Photo credit: KK Najeeb
Across the Mullassery constituency, the mood is changing – but the emotional undercurrent remains just as strong. At the pre-election meeting, C. Ravindranath of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was welcomed not only as a candidate, but as a teacher. Former students of St. Thomas College, Thrissur, gathered in large numbers, waiting to meet the man they still call ‘Sir’.
The handshake turned into a hug. Smiles for memories. Many openly pledged to work for his victory.
Mr. Ravindranath, known as the ‘Minister on a Bike’, has a different kind of political capital – what his supporters call ‘student wealth’. A retired chemistry professor, his years in academia still reverberate across the constituency.
“My dream is sustainable development,” he says, outlining his vision for “Nava Manalur”. “I want to build a model agricultural group with modern people-oriented growth.” Buoyed by the organizational strength of the LDF and the legacy of two consecutive victories, he also bears the responsibility of retaining the seat – a task he approaches with quiet confidence.
KK Aneesh Kumar, BJP candidate, interacting with people during his campaign in Manaluru. | Photo credit: KK Najeeb
Meanwhile, KK Aneesh Kumar, state vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is writing his own story. Mr. Aneesh Kumar, the strong organizer and key strategist behind Suresh Gopi’s success in the Lok Sabha in Thrissur, is banking on a steady increase in the BJP’s vote share.
“Just as Thrissur got its first BJP MP in 2024, it will get its first MLA in 2026,” he says, oozing confidence.
Manalur’s electoral history adds to the intrigue. The constituency, once a Congress stronghold, has shifted towards the LDF in recent years, with the CPI(M)’s Murali Perunelly securing decisive victories in 2016 and 2021. But this time, history offers little certainty.
At the heart of the campaign are pressing local issues – road infrastructure, irrigation, coastal tourism development and basic civic amenities. With a socially diverse electorate, including significant Christian and Ezhava communities, the constituency requires careful political calibration.
And as the heat builds, one thing is certain – the people of Manaluru are watching, waiting and weighing every move.
Published – 04 Apr 2026 23:16 IST
