Onmanorama pollmeter tracks 12 closely-fought constituencies across different phases of campaign: Nemom, Manjeshwar, Palakkad, Kunnathunad, Pala, Kottarakkara, Peravoor, Thripunithura, Ambalappuzha, Taliparamba, Payyanur and Nattika. This is the second part on Kunnathunad where Onmanorama captures emerging trends from ground-level feed. Read the first part here.

Kochi: At Thammanimattom junction in Poothrikka panchayat in Kunnathunad, the election season is impossible to miss. Fresh hoardings of LDF candidate and sitting MLA PV Sreenijin seek votes for him, proclaiming “Vikasana Vismayam Thudarum”, the promise that Kunnathunad’s “marvel of development will continue.” A campaign vehicle blares out a list of achievements as workers prepare for the candidate’s visit. But beneath the visuals, a more complicated voter mood is taking shape.

“Until recently, these boards were congratulating him for getting approval and funds for rebuilding the Thammanimattom-Ramamangalam hanging bridge across Muvattupuzha River that was washed away in the 2018 floods,” Gopalan, a local voter, told Onmanorama. “We’ve seen such announcements and project launches many times, but the bridge is still not a reality. Now those boards are gone, replaced by election posters. People can see through these promises,” he added.

This tension between the LDF’s showcased development and unmet expectations is emerging as a defining undercurrent in Kunnathunad, where, with just days left in the campaign, the contest has sharpened into a clear three-way fight. Yet, as things stand, UDF candidate and ex-MLA VP Sajeendran continues to hold a slight but consistent edge over Sreenijin, with NDA candidate Babu Divakaran remaining a significant, if trailing, third factor.

Development vs delivery gap
The LDF has anchored its campaign firmly on development, mirroring its statewide pitch. Sreenijin claims that projects worth over ₹2,300 crore have been brought to the constituency over five years, ranging from school infrastructure and synthetic tracks to hospital upgrades and road works.

While voters acknowledge visible improvements, many are equally quick to point out projects that remain incomplete or exist only on paper.

Across panchayats, voters who spoke to Onmanorama flagged delayed or unrealised works such as the Thankalam-Kakkanad road, Kadambrayar tourism project, a proposed stadium in the name of Olympian PR Sreejesh, the Chithrapuzha bridge and the Chithrapuzha-Kochi Refinery four-lane road.

“The LDF keeps highlighting development, but we are questioning them on their own promises. Many of these projects are still not a reality,” said Paul, a Congress supporter in Poothrikka.

This gap is being actively weaponised by the UDF, allowing Sajeendran to blunt the LDF’s strongest campaign plank.

The ‘approachability’ factor
Beyond development, a more intangible factor is shaping voter preference - personal accessibility.

“Nobody really dislikes Sajeendran here,” said George Varghese, a voter from South Mazhuvannur. “Unlike Sreenijin, he has fewer internal enemies and is someone who interacts easily with people, whether it’s election time or not. That matters,” he added.

Even among LDF sympathisers, there is a perception of distance from the incumbent MLA.

“I’m a Communist and I believe the LDF government has delivered in many areas,” said Sasi, who runs a restaurant in Kaninad in Vadavucode-Puthencruz panchayat. “But they don’t communicate well with people. When your MLA doesn’t engage freely, voters feel that gap and it will reflect in the polls.”

While Sreenijin’s campaign events draw good crowds and he is seen as cordial during public appearances, some voters attribute this warmth to the compulsions of election season rather than a consistent connection.

Twenty20 factor still tilting balance
If development is the LDF’s core pitch, the UDF’s biggest structural advantage continues to stem from the altered political equations after Twenty20’s entry into the NDA.

In 2021, Twenty20’s 42,701 votes significantly dented both fronts, hurting the UDF more and enabling Sreenijin’s narrow win. Now, with the Kitex-backed party aligning with the BJP, sections of its earlier support base appear unsettled.

“In 2021, Sajeendran lost mainly because Twenty20 split the Congress and neutral votes. But now, many who supported Twenty20 for its apolitical stand feel disappointed. That could benefit the Congress,” said Kuriakose, a voter from South Mazhuvannur.

Ground-level feedback across multiple panchayats suggests that minority voters and sections of neutral voters who had shifted to Twenty20 are reconsidering their choices.

However, the NDA is far from irrelevant. In Twenty20 strongholds like Kizhakambalam and Kunnathunad, the party machinery remains intact and energetic. Large crowds continue to attend family meetings and rallies.

“What’s wrong with Twenty20 joining the NDA?” asked Paulson, a shopkeeper in Kizhakambalam. “The party has only become stronger. If this alliance had happened earlier, we might not have lost rule in Kunnathunad and Mazhuvannur panchayats,” he said.

Another supporter, Damodaran from Pallikkara, argued that the alliance would only “strengthen the focus on development,” while blaming both UDF and LDF for past failures.

Yet, beyond these pockets, scepticism persists. “If Twenty20 had contested independently, it had a good opportunity to grow, even win or finish second. Joining the NDA and the way candidates were selected have disappointed many supporters,” said Bhavani, a voter in Mazhuvannur.

With days to go, all three fronts have intensified their ground campaigns. House visits, rallies, and booth-level mobilisation are in full swing. Still, visible momentum differs. Compared to the UDF and LDF, the NDA’s campaign presence, especially in terms of posters and hoardings, appears less aggressive across much of the constituency, even as its cadre activity remains strong in select areas.

Meanwhile, political crossfire has added another layer to the contest challenging Sajeendran. While the Congress state leadership has raised allegations of an ‘LDF-NDA’ deal, the LDF has accused the UDF of a tacit understanding with the NDA in Vadavucode-Puthencruz panchayat, where the Congress rules the civic body with the support of two Twenty20 ward members. This is likely to be a hot topic in the coming days.

Kunnathunad remains, by all accounts, a razor-edge contest. The triangular nature of the fight ensures that even minor vote shifts could decisively alter the outcome.

Yet, taken together, voter scepticism over incomplete projects, Sajeendran’s perceived accessibility, and the churn triggered by Twenty20’s NDA alliance, the balance continues to tilt slightly in favour of the UDF.