Rahul Gandhi with UDF Kochi constituency candidate Mohammed Shiyas, Ernakulam candidate TJ Vinod, Tripunithura candidate Deepak Joy and Trikkakara candidate Uma Thomas at a campaign meeting in Fort Kochi. | Photo credit: Thulasi Kakkat
The central Kerala region consisting of Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts is witnessing intense electoral battles for political dominance this time.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) had a clear upper hand in the region during the 2021 parliamentary polls as it won 25 of the 37 assembly seats in the region, leaving the United Democratic Front (UDF) with just 12.
Electoral politics in the region is witnessing some personality contests this time, apart from sharp political battles. The shifting political loyalties of some candidates and the installation of some prominent figures in some key constituencies make the contests worth watching.
While the UDF dominated the electoral scene in Ernakulam, from where nine of its candidates were elected to the 15th Assembly, the LDF had a clear upper hand in Idukki, winning four of the five seats; Alappuzha, which gave the front seven out of nine seats; and Kottayam, where the front won five of the nine seats.
In Alappuzha district, the UDF is hoping that former Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) leader G. Sudhakaran, who is contesting as an independent candidate, will end the LDF rule in the Ambalappuzha constituency. The UDF did not field a candidate in the constituency, thus supporting its revolt against the CPI(M). Here, Mr. Sudhakaran is taking on CPI(M) leader and sitting legislator H. Salam, who once managed Mr. Sudhakaran’s election campaigns.
A tearful contest is taking place in the Kayamkulam constituency where sitting MLA and CPI(M) candidate U. Prathibha is once again vying for a popular seat. M Liju, a Congress candidate who has yet to win any of the electoral battles, last week tearfully appealed to voters to help him end his drought. A teary-eyed Ms. Prathibha was seen publicly protesting the derogatory and misogynistic remarks made by a leader of UDF’s partner, the Indian Union Muslim League, who has since been expelled from the organisation. It remains to be seen who will have the last laugh as Ms Prathibha and Mr Liju wage a fierce battle in the constituency.
Sons and foreign contributions
The contest in the Pala constituency is very important for the Kerala Congress (Mani) faction and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their survival in the Kerala electoral scene. Jose K. Mani, son of party founder and former minister KM Mani, had last suffered an ignominious defeat by Mani C. Kappan by a margin of over 15,000 votes, ultimately forcing him to watch from afar his younger colleague’s entry as a cabinet minister in the second Pinarayi Vijayan government. Mr. Kappan is again in the constituency to secure his seat in the upcoming assembly. The presence of Shone George, son of PC George, as the BJP candidate in the constituency is a result of the party’s Christian attempts. The party hopes to consolidate votes by campaigning against political Islam.
The recent controversies over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act came at the worst possible time for the BJP as almost all churches criticized it as an attempt by the government to usurp their property. Sensing the trouble, Mr. Shone George was the first to play it down by saying that only those who received illegal funds from abroad have to worry about it. Union minister George Kurian and Anoop Antony are two prominent Christian candidates who are contesting the district elections as BJP candidates. Whether the dispute will leave an impact on the saffron party’s hopes in the Christian-dominated constituencies remains to be seen.
Loyalty shift
In Idukki’s Devikulam, S. Rajendran, a former CPI (M) legislator, is seeking votes as a BJP candidate this time.
In Udumbanchola, MM Mani, a former minister and sitting MLA representing the CPI(M), has given way to his party colleague KK Jayachandran, who represented the constituency from 2001 to 2016. UDF candidate Senapathy Venu, who was defeated by Mr. Mani last time, is hoping that along with the reported bicker (misfortune) the anti-incumbency votes would see him in the polls.
Repeat contests
The UDF hopes that Ernakulam district, which fielded the highest number of legislators from the region in the last elections, will continue to support it in its campaign to return to power after a decade of political drought.
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Minister and CPI(M) leader P. Rajeeve is highlighting development initiatives in Kalamassery in his second contest against Abdul Gafoor, son of IUML leader late VK Ebrahim Kunha. While it was the Palarivattom bridge scam involving Ebrahim Kunhu and bitter infighting in the IUML that eased Mr. Rajeev’s path to the Assembly, the League leadership says it brokered peace in the party’s district unit to present a united face and fight in the 2026 polls.
(With inputs from Hiran Unnikrishnan in Kottayam)
Published – 6 Apr 2026 07:06 IST
