The BJP has secured a significant breakthrough in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, winning key constituencies such as Nemom and Kazhakkoottam, along with a surprise victory in Chathannoor. The only time the BJP had previously won a seat in the Kerala Assembly was in Nemom in 2016.

Riding the anti-incumbency wave against the LDF, the party has managed to win three seats previously held by the ruling party. It also put up close fights in constituencies such as Thiruvalla, Kozhikode South and Kasaragod, signalling a potential expansion of its footprint in a state traditionally dominated by the LDF and the UDF.

In Nemom, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar won by a margin of over 3,000 votes. The former Union Minister, who shifted from national politics to spearhead the party’s campaign in Kerala, reclaimed the seat the BJP had lost in 2021, banking on a development-focused pitch.

In Chathannoor, BJP candidate B B Gopakumar, who was locked in a tight contest with CPI’s R Rajendran, won by a margin of over 4,000 votes.

In Kazhakkoottam, BJP leader and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan defeated LDF’s Kadakampally Surendran, securing a narrow victory by over 200 votes.

In Palakkad, however, the BJP suffered a setback, with Congress candidate and actor Ramesh Pisharody defeating Sobha Surendran by over 12,000 votes in a constituency where the party has historically performed well.

In Kasaragod, M L Ashwini was pushed to second place after briefly regaining the lead from Kallathra Mahin, who went on to win by a margin of 22,698 votes.

In Thiruvalla, BJP’s Anoop Antony had taken a narrow lead earlier, but UDF’s Varghese Mammen surged ahead to win by over 7,000 votes. LDF’s Mathew T Thomas finished third.

Kozhikode South had briefly shown a surprise trend, with BJP’s T Raneesh leading by a narrow margin at one point. However, he eventually slipped to third place. UDF’s V K Fysal Babu won the seat with a margin of over 10,000 votes, while LDF candidate Ahammad Devarkovil finished second.