UDF may have scored a sweeping victory in Kerala with a 102-35 verdict against the LDF, but on the ground, the contest was really close in several constituencies.
Narrow margins in multiple constituencies
In at least 10 constituencies in Kerala, the difference between a win and a loss was less than 2,000 seats. In three cases, the margin of victory was less than 500 seats. Take Manalur, where C Ravindranath of CPI (M) just about edged past T. N. Prathapan of IUML with a difference of merely 126 seats. In the 2021 election in the same constituency, the LDF (CPI-M) had won by a margin of 29,876 votes. The difference this time was that the BJP candidate, K.K. Aneeshkumar, got a significant number of votes (38,125).
In Azhikode, KV Sumesh of CPI (M) only narrowly edged past IUML’s Kareem Cheleri – the difference being just 349 votes. In the 2021 Assembly elections, K V Sumesh won this seat, defeating K M Shaji of IUML by a margin of 6,141 votes. The narrow margin in the 2026 polls could be explained by lower voter turnout. Azhikode reported a voter turnout of 73.99 per cent in the 2026 elections, compared with 77.89 per cent in 2021.
Tight battle in Kazhakoottam
In the much hyped battle for Kazhakoottam, where BJP’s Muraleedharan won over Kadamkampally Surendran of CPI(M), the margin was just 428 seats. In 2021, Surendran had defeated the BJP’s Shobha Surendran in this constituency.
Published on May 5, 2026