Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Segments under Vadakara LS seat could see some keen contests

Koyilandy, Nadapuram, Kuttiyadi, Perambra and Vadakara Assembly segments in Kozhikode district that are part of the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency could witness some keen contests in the upcoming polls.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has an upper hand at present in these seats, and the United Democratic Front (UDF) has only one MLA, K.K. Rema of the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI), in Vadakara.

However, tough battles are on the cards in Kuttiyadi and Nadapuram this time. In 2021, K.P. Kunhammad Kutty of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] won against Parakkal Abdulla of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the then incumbent MLA, by a margin of just 333 votes in Kuttiyadi. Even Mr. Kutty’s candidature itself had its share of drama as the seat was first allotted to the Kerala Congress (Mani). The CPI(M) had to take it back after local party activists raised a revolt against the decision. In 2016, Mr. Abdulla’s victory margin against K.K. Lathika of the CPI(M) was just 1,157 votes.

Almost a similar situation exists in the Nadapuram constituency as well. E.K. Vijayan of the Communist Party of India (CPI) won against K. Praveenkumar of the Congress by a margin of 4,759 and 4,035 votes, in 2016 and 2021, respectively. The CPI nominee this time is P. Vasantham.

The Congress and the UDF are now banking on their good performance in the recently held local body polls, the popularity of Shafi Parambil, Vadakara MP, and the organisational and political strength of the IUML and the RMPI in these areas. The UDF has fielded Mr. Praveenkumar, who is now the Kozhikode district Congress committee president, in Koyilandy, Youth Congress leader K.M. Abhijith in Nadapuram, and the IUML candidate from Perambra is Fathima Thahilia.

Mr. Parambil had a clear lead over his LDF rival K.K. Shailaja in all the five Assembly seats in the Lok Sabha polls. He is also attracting large crowds of supporters during public meetings. Under the Perambra segment, six of the 10 grama panchayats are now under UDF rule. In Nadapuram, the LDF is in power in six grama panchayats, and the UDF is ruling four. In Kuttiyadi, the UDF was able to capture power in Maniyoor, Ayanchery, Purameri and Velam grama panchayats. Kunnummal, Kuttiyadi and Villiappally grama panchayats are under the LDF, and there is a tie in Thiruvallur.

The UDF’s confidence stems from the fact that it could come to power in the LDF strongholds of Maniyoor and Purameri. Though Koyilandy has not had a UDF MLA after 2001, the front is hopeful of a better show after its good performance in the local bodies. In Vadakara, the ‘Janakeeya Munnani’ formed by the RMPI and the UDF had been able to put up a good show in the recent elections.

However, the LDF is relying on the popularity of its incumbent MLAs — T.P. Ramakrishnan in Perambra, Mr. Kutty in Kuttiyadi, and K. Dasan, who represented Koyilandy for two terms from 2011 and is fielded again from there. The ruling front hopes that the CPI(M) and the CPI’s traditional support base and organisational machinery along with the State government’s developmental and social welfare initiative will stand it in good stead.