Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Its a fight between youth and experience at Eravipuram

The midday sun hung heavy over the stretches of Bharanikavu, but the heat did little to deter the crowd gathered for Annadanam at the local temple. Inside the bustling temple grounds, M. Noushad, the sitting MLA and LDF candidate, is in his element. Moving with the practised ease of a representative who has spent a decade nurturing this constituency, Mr. Noushad was a focal point for devotees. There was a lived-in familiarity to his presence; rather than formal introductions, the interactions were marked by quick nods of recognition and brief, personal exchanges as people approached him between servings.

Stepping out onto the main road in the Thattamala area, he personally requested the support of passers-by and shop owners, his voice steady and projecting a quiet confidence rooted in his previous 28,000-vote victory margin. “The people have witnessed the developmental strides we have made in Eravipuram, and I am certain that this trust will translate into a resounding mandate once again,” says the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader who breached the former Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) bastion in 2016.

UDF candidate Vishnu Mohan during an election campaign at the Eravipuram Assembly constituency in Kollam on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
C. Sureshkumar

A few kilometers away in Kottiyam, the atmosphere is markedly different as the UDF machinery hummed into life around their young contender, Vishnu Mohan. The State secretary of the Revolutionary Youth Front (RYF), Mr. Mohan carries the heavy mantle of reclaiming the RSP’s legacy. Accompanied by a spirited entourage of local Congress and Indian Union Muslim League workers, he moved through the residential pockets with the urgent energy of a newcomer. His approach was humble yet persistent; at every doorstep, he introduced himself, often making a formal appeal for votes before moving to the next point.

‘Pro-UDF sentiment’

Despite the internal friction that preceded his nomination, Mr. Mohan appeared focussed on the task at hand, framing his candidacy as a youthful alternative to the status quo. His campaign is a sprint to cover ground, mostly relying on the door-to-door electioneering. “There is a palpable pro-UDF sentiment across the constituency, and I am fully confident of the electoral outcome,” says Mr. Mohan, who is challenging two seasoned politicians in the constituency. He notes that local development has remained stagnant, with most projects failing to reach a stage where they truly benefit the public. Highlighting the UDF’s growing momentum, he points to the coalition’s significant gains in recent local body elections, where it secured several key divisions in the Kollam Corporation and Mayyanad panchayat for the first time. “Given these shifts in the political landscape of Eravipuram, I have no doubts about the final results,” he says.

NDA candidate Saji. D Anand interacting with people during an election campaign at the Eravipuram Assembly constituency in Kollam on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
C. Sureshkumar

Saji D. Anand, a veteran who spent decades within the RSP before his recent exit following internal feuds, is now the face of the NDA, contesting on a Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) ticket in Eravipuram. At Palathara, his campaign style is intimate and conversational. As he made home visits, drawing on his deep-rooted personal networks to explain his shift in political allegiance, he projected a resolute self-assuredness.

Acknowledging the mixed reactions to his recent political shift, he notes some supporters have validated his decision as the right move while others have expressed their disappointment over the transition. “Politics is about the people, not just the party. My shift is a response to the stagnation within the old frameworks and people know that. I began my political journey in 1979 and my commitment to this soil and its people remains unchanged,” he says.