Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Ekbal urges political parties to shun communalism, restore decency in poll discourse

Amid an increasingly heated campaign for the Kerala Assembly elections, noted public intellectual and academic B. Ekbal has issued a 10-point appeal urging political parties and candidates to restore civility, secular values and issue-based debate in the electoral process.

A key pillar of the proposed ‘Ten Commandments’ is a strong warning against communal politics and religious emotionalism. At a time when controversies over alleged political “deals” have also begun to dominate campaign discourse, he calls to uphold Kerala’s reputation for socially conscious politics by repositioning policy and governance as prime poll planks.

Dr. Ekbal, physician and former Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University, who once contested in the Assembly polls from the Changanassery Assembly constituency in 2011, called for a return to dignity in political discourse. He urged candidates to avoid personal attacks and provocative language.

He advised focus on manifesto-based debates and governance issues, and to base criticisms strictly on verified facts.

“Sadly, the ongoing election campaign has shown little regard for the pressing challenges Kerala faces across sectors such as education, healthcare, human-wildlife conflict and economic development. Instead, the discourse has been dominated by needless controversies sparked for short-term political gain, alongside a noticeable decline in standards of political decency,” he lamented.

Call for responsible campaigning

In his appeal, he emphasises a shift towards cleaner, cheaper and more responsible campaigning. His recommendations include prioritising digital outreach over environmentally harmful campaign materials, adopting plastic-free practices, and avoiding extravagant rallies in favour of direct voter engagement.

Urging parties to uphold Kerala’s long-standing secular traditions, Dr. Ekbal raised concerns about religion-based messaging entering the State’s campaign narrative. “The political coalitions must strive to protect the secular fabric that defines our democracy,” he said.

He also exhorted the parties to work towards a pro-women, inclusive campaign culture and zero culture for misogyny, besides jointly ensuring a violence-free and corruption-free election, as he called on candidates to respect voter autonomy and reject inducements.