Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: In Kalamassery, a battle to retain stature, legacy

A battle of prestige is being played out in Kalamassery Assembly constituency this time. While for Industries Minister and CPI(M) candidate P. Rajeeve, the April 9 election is all about retaining the seat and his stature, to his key rival, Indian Union Muslim League’s (IUML) V.E. Abdul Gafoor, it is a fight to regain a political legacy.

In its brief history of 15 years, the constituency with a largely suburban and industrial nature in Ernakulam district had sided with the Congress-led UDF twice before Mr. Rajeeve breached what till then looked like a League fort in 2021. IUML’s V.K. Ebrahim Kunju represented the constituency for 10 years winning the first two elections held in 2011 and 2016.

He was the Minister for Public Works in the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government between 2011 and 2016. Before that he was the MLA of then Mattancherry constituency from 2001 to 2011. Kunju’s stature, and in turn the UDF’s fortunes in the constituency, took a beating with the Palarivattom flyover scandal in which he was arrested on charge of corruption in 2020. Kunju had defeated CPI(M)’s K. Chandran Pillai and A.M. Yousaf in Kalamasery in 2011 and 2016 respectively.

Though the UDF fielded his son Gafoor as its candidate in Kalamassery in 2021, he could not withstand the Left wave and overcome the corruption charges that clouded his father’s image.

Mr. Gafoor has returned to the electoral picture this time in less than three months since his father passed away. While Mr. Rajeeve is seeking re-election riding on his performance as the Industries Minister and the development and welfare initiatives in the constituency, the UDF is pinning its hope on the perceived anti-incumbency sentiments in the State and a sympathy wave in favour of Mr. Gafoor. A key poll plank from the UDF camp looks like invoking Mr. Kunju’s memories as an efficient minister and a victim of vendetta politics.

The Kalamassery segment was carved out from the old Aluva constituency with parts of Paravoor and the erstwhile Vadakkekkara constituencies. The segment comprises Alangad, Kadungalloor, Kunnukara, and Karumallur grama panchayats besides Eloor and Kalamassery municipalities. Eloor is the only municipality that stood with the LDF in Ernakulam district in the 2025 elections amid a UDF sweep across local bodies.

The BJP-led NDA’s performance in the constituency has been fluctuating over the elections. While BJP’s P. Krishnadas could poll only 6.4 per cent of votes in 2011, the BDJS, a key ally of the saffron party, could increase the vote share to 15.6 per cent in 2016 as V. Gopakumar contested as the NDA candidate. However, the NDA’s vote share nosedived to 7.2% in 2021 when P.S. Jayaraj contested on BDJS ticket. M.P. Binu has been fielded by the BDJS this time.