Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Kunnathur constituency all in for a factional duel

A constituency widely considered as an absolute Left citadel, Kunnathur’s political identity has been inseparable from the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) for decades. Aside from a notable upset in 1982 when Kottarakuzhi Sukumaran of the United Democratic Front (UDF) won, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has maintained an almost unbroken winning streak.

T. Nanoo represented the seat for three consecutive terms starting in 1987, further entrenching the RSP’s influence. However, the political landscape shifted significantly in 2016 when the official RSP faction moved from the LDF to the UDF. This led to a split, with Kovoor Kunjumon forming the RSP (Leninist) to remain with the LDF. Since then, the constituency has been a primary battleground for these two RSP factions of the same movement, making it one of the most closely watched segments in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.

Strategic stronghold

As Kollam district’s sole reserved segment, the Kunnathur constituency spans a diverse geographic corridor, encompassing the panchayats of Kunnathur, Mynagappally, Poruvazhy, Sasthamcotta, Sooranad North, Sooranad South, and West Kallada, alongside East Kallada and Munroe Thuruthu in Kollam taluk and Pavithreswaram in Kottarakara taluk. This administrative sprawl remains a strategic stronghold for the Left, a status reaffirmed by the results of the 2025 local body elections. Despite shifting political currents across the State, the LDF maintained its local supremacy by securing victories in six out of the ten panchayats within the Assembly limits.

The LDF has once again officially fielded its incumbent MLA Mr. Kunjumon , who is seeking a record sixth consecutive term in a seat he has held since 2001. Challenging him from the UDF is Ullas Kovoor of the main RSP, who is campaigning aggressively to reclaim what was once the party’s undisputed heartland. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has re-nominated Raji Prasad of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose consistent vote share in past elections has turned the contest into a critical triangular fight where every percentage point could influence the final outcome.

Vulnerable outpost

The electoral dynamics of the constituency have tightened significantly over the last decade. While Mr. Kunjumon enjoyed a comfortable margin of over 20,000 votes in 2016, the 2021 election saw that lead evaporate to a razor-thin 2,790 votes. His primary challenger, Mr. Kovoor, managed to consolidate a significant portion of the traditional socialist vote, signalling that the Leninist faction’s hold is no longer absolute. This narrowing gap has energised the UDF, which views Kunnathur as a vulnerable LDF outpost that can be reclaimed through strategic candidate selection and by capitalising on anti-incumbency after Mr. Kunjumon’s quarter-century in office.

While the BJP is unlikely to win the seat, its ability to pull votes from both traditional fronts makes it a critical spoiler that could decide the fate of the two warring RSP factions. For Mr. Kunjumon and the LDF, a victory would solidify his legacy as an unbeatable local patriarch. For the UDF-RSP, winning Kunnathur is not just about gaining a seat; it is about reclaiming the party’s heartland and proving that the original RSP still holds the mandate of the people.