Kerala polls: After the K.M. Mani era, Pala faces its most open contest yet

But for a motley crowd of fewer than 15 people, the Karingozhakkal House on the Pala bypass remains unusually quiet. The rising heat of a high-stakes election is nowhere visible on its premises. Those waiting on the portico are the few who will accompany Jose K. Mani, chairperson of Kerala Congress (M) and the Left Democratic Front candidate in Pala, during the day’s campaign trail.

“He has asked every party worker to remain active in their respective areas and not come here unnecessarily,” says a KC(M) worker from Thalanad. The conversation, however, abruptly stops as Mr. Mani steps out. In an instant, those waiting gather around him. He speaks briefly with each of them, one-on-one.

“With just two weeks left, we have a lot more ground to cover. There isn’t much time to sit and discuss strategies. However hot and humid the conditions are, we are hitting the ground running this time,” Mr. Mani says, before hurrying off to address a public meeting scheduled within the next half hour.

Towering presence

The silence within Karingozhakkal House , where K.M. Mani, the Kerala Congress patriarch, lived for decades, belies the charged political atmosphere outside. This is a constituency that for decades moved in rhythm with K. M. Mani, the towering figure who represented it for over 50 years. Since his passing in 2019, the political ground beneath Pala has begun to shift.

And this time, the contest has opened up into a three-cornered fight with the entry of Shone George, son of veteran leader P.C. George, as candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The Left, however, is confident of converting the narrow gains in the recent local body elections into a clear advantage and is relying heavily on its organisational depth for the same. Within the KC(M) camp, there is also a calculation that the NDA entry could split votes that might otherwise consolidate against them.

At another corner of the town, Mani C. Kappan sits at his office near Pala General Hospital, surrounded by a steady stream of visitors. If Karingozhakkal House reflects silence, this space carries the hum of constant activity. “The people here know what has been done,” he says, speaking of development work beyond the town limits. Confident and unhurried, he moves between conversations, aides passing along schedules and updates.

Preparing for what he says will be his final electoral contest, Mr. Kappan is set to embark on an extensive campaign across the constituency, which stretches into the foothills of the Western Ghats. His team believes the mood on the ground, shaped in part by recent local body elections, could work in his favour.

Farmers’ concerns

Against the backdrop of agrarian distress, the UDF campaign places strong emphasis on farmers’ concerns. It is also seeking to capitalise on anti-incumbency and the momentum from recent protests over human-wildlife conflicts, while planning to intensify its campaign by bringing in prominent State and national leaders of the Congress.

The NDA, for its part, is pushing hard to establish itself as more than a marginal player. Leaders in the alliance speak of a steady base of support and the possibility of expanding it by reaching sections of the Catholic community.“This is our best chance to win over the elite Catholic votes of Pala,” says a BJP leader accompanying Mr. George. According to him, the BJP has a core vote base of around 25,000 in the segment, and if our candidate succeeds in attracting even a section of Catholic voters, “he could very well win this battle.”

Mr. George, moving through the constituency, too appears confident. “I believe the electorate will opt for change this time, breaking free from the cyclical dominance of the UDF and LDF,” he says. The NDA is also banking on a growing sense of anxiety among sections of the Catholic community over political developments, hoping it will work in its favour.

Many local issues

Beyond candidates and alliances, however, there are also a range of local issues that could influence undecided voters, from the Church’s stance and the crisis in the natural rubber sector to concerns over uneven development.

As the days pass, the pace is only set to quicken. Vehicles move from one junction to another, small gatherings turn into roadside meetings and conversations stretch late into the evening. In a constituency where history runs deep and loyalties are layered, the contest has rarely felt this open. As the campaign gathers momentum, Pala is watching closely.

Published – March 31, 2026 09:53 am IST