Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Contest heats up in Kozhikode North and South constituencies

As the campaign for the April 9 Kerala Assembly polls enters its final phase, emerging trends in Kozhikode North and Kozhikode South, the city’s twin constituencies, point to a perceptible shift in political dynamics.

While the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) continues to hold an edge, the contest is shaping into an increasingly competitive triangular fight, with the Congress led-United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) making discernible inroads, particularly in Kozhikode North.

Both segments are defined by distinct urban identities and a degree of voter apathy. Yet they differ in terms of demographic composition and the pace of infrastructure development, factors that could influence electoral behaviour in divergent ways.

The electoral history of Kozhikode North reflects a pattern of relative stability punctuated by occasional shifts. Since 2006, however, the CPI(M) has maintained a firm grip on the seat, beginning with A. Pradeep Kumar, who secured consecutive victories. In 2021, the party replaced him with Thottathil Raveendran, a former Mayor of Kozhikode, who won comfortably, aided by both personal popularity and the organisational groundwork laid by his predecessor. The LDF has renominated Mr. Raveendran, banking on continuity.

However, the entry of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary K. Jayanth as the UDF candidate and Mahila Morcha State president and Kozhikode Corporation councillor Navya Haridas as the NDA nominee has altered the electoral arithmetic, making the contest more competitive than in previous cycles.

Both the Congress and the BJP draw confidence from their performance in last year’s three-tier local body elections. Although the LDF retained a narrow lead in the Kozhikode Corporation with 15 wards, compared to 11 for the UDF and six for the NDA, the Opposition sees this as evidence of a closing gap.

While Mr. Raveendran is foregrounding development initiatives and governance over the past five years, his challengers are attempting to consolidate dissatisfaction over perceived gaps in infrastructure and urban management.

For the Congress, the stakes are particularly high. Having failed to secure a single MLA from the district for over two decades, the party has identified Kozhikode North as a key winnable constituency, investing significant organisational and campaign resources.

The constituency’s demographic profile, with Hindus accounting for over 60% of the electorate (a large share being Nairs), alongside Muslims (around 25%) and Christians (about 15%), is also likely to play a decisive role, especially in a closely fought contest where vote consolidation could prove critical.

Different dynamics

In Kozhikode South, the dynamics have evolved differently but remain equally competitive. Incumbent LDF MLA Ahammad Devarkovil, national general secretary of the Indian National League (INL), is seeking re-election but faces a strong challenge from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate V.K. Faisal Babu, who also serves as national general secretary of the Muslim Youth League.

As a Muslim-majority constituency, with the community comprising over 60% of the electorate, Kozhikode South is witnessing a more direct bipolar contest between the LDF and the UDF. The outcome is likely to hinge on whether the LDF can retain its 2021 support base, particularly among segments that crossed traditional voting lines, or whether the IUML succeeds in consolidating minority votes while capitalising on urban anti-incumbency.

The NDA, which has fielded BJP Corporation councillor T. Raneesh, is not a primary contender but could still influence the result. Having secured 20.89% of the vote in the previous election, the coalition is expected to improve its performance, potentially impacting the margin of victory in a tightly contested race.