Kerala Assembly Polls 2026: CPI declares candidates for Assembly polls in Kerala

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Sunday (March 15, 2026) announced its list of candidates for the forthcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly election.

Notably, the party has renominated all four of its incumbent Ministers, K. Rajan (Ollur), P. Prasad (Cherthala), J. Chinchurani (Chadayamangalam) and G.R. Anil (Nedumangad).

The party is the first in the State to announce its candidates after the elections were declared. Announcing the candidates in Thiruvananthapuram, CPI State secretary Binoy Viswam said the party had finalised candidates for the 25 constituencies it would contest as part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The list includes five women and one Independent candidate.

The party has fielded E.T. Taison, the incumbent legislator in the Kaipamangalam constituency, in the Paravoor constituency where sitting MLA and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan is expected to contest.

The other candidates are Govindan Pallikappil (Kanhangad), P. Vasantham (Nadapuram), Ajith Koladi (Tirurangadi), Mustafa V.M. (Manjeri – Independent), Shafeer Kizhisseri (Ernad), Manzil Aboobacker (Mannarkkad), Muhammed Muhassin P. (Pattambi), Alankode Leelakrishnan (Thrissur), Geetha Gopi (Nattika), K.K. Valsaraj (Kaipamangalam), V.R. Sunil Kumar (Kodungalloor), N. Arun (Muvattupuzha), T.T. Jismon (Haripad), P. Pradeep (Vaikom), K. Salim Kumar (Peerumade), Priji Kannan (Adoor), Ajayaprasad C. (Punalur), M.S. Thara (Karunagapally), R. Rajendran (Chathannur), and Manoj B. Edamana (Chirayinkeezhu).

Mr. Viswam expressed optimism that the LDF would emerge victorious against both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that were allegedly part of an unholy nexus. “Though they appear as separate entities, they often function together politically when confronting the LDF in the State,” he said.