Kerala Assembly elections 2026: poll fever catches up in Aluva amid scorching heat

It is around 8.20 a.m., and the otherwise sleepy Parambussery village in Nedumbassery panchayat is bustling with activity. An announcement vehicle moving along the winding paths of the lush greenery marks the arrival of Anwar Sadath, three-time MLA of the United Democratic Front (UDF) from Aluva.

As Congress workers burst crackers, senior Congress leader Benny Behanan, MP, took charge of the microphone: “It is time to end the anti-people rule of the Left front government. The electorate of Aluva will send Anwar Sadath for the fourth consecutive time to the Kerala Assembly,” he claimed as enthusiastic UDF workers standing nearby cheered.

A six-year-old draped a tricolour shawl on the candidate as photographers travelling with him quickly captured the moment. “From roads to bridges and other infrastructure facilities, I have been able to ensure the all-round development of the constituency over my last three terms as MLA,” recalled Mr. Sadath. He stopped midway and shook hands with children, who greeted him after their school bus had an abrupt halt at the campaign point following a minor traffic snarl. “Care has also been taken to implement various welfare measures, including the ‘Ammakilikoodu’ housing scheme for the needy,” he said.

Nearly six kilometres away, a few workers of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) are anxiously waiting for their candidate and former Alappuzha MP A.M. Ariff near the Sri Datta Anjaneya Temple on Swargam Road, Desom, near Aluva. As the wait continued, they called up the candidate’s entourage to ask whether he was going to be late. “We are on our way and will be reaching shortly,” came the swift response.

LDF’s A.M. Ariff during his campaign.
| Photo Credit:
H. VIBHU

A few minutes later, Mr. Ariff alighted from a red SUV, accompanied by his campaign managers. He greeted the devotees, who were leaving the temple premises around 10.15 a.m. “I am Ariff, the Left front candidate in Aluva,” he introduced himself to a few, who initially could not recognise the person approaching them with a smile.

“We are highlighting the development works carried out by the Left front government over the past 10 years in our interactions with the electorate,” he said before entering the temple to meet its representatives. “The response from voters has been positive,” he said.

At the election campaign office near Thottakkattukara in Aluva, the sweltering heat forced National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate M.A. Brahmaraj and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to opt for a short break. They had just returned after a few house visits in the nearby Kadungalloor panchayat in the morning.

NDA’s M.A. Brahmaraj meets voters.
| Photo Credit:
H. VIBHU

As he sips a tea and relishes a deep fried ‘unniyappam’, the candidate said the campaign had been re-scheduled in such a way as to beat the rising mercury levels. “In the evening, the focus is on vehicle rallies to reach out to maximum number of voters,” he said as the breeze from the cooling tower installed at the temporary facility brought a slight relief from the soaring temperatures. The National Democratic Alliance, he said, is highlighting the issue of drinking water scarcity, traffic snarls, and lack of basic infrastructure for devotees thronging the Aluva Siva Temple.