Kollam: Long considered a Left stronghold, Kollam has witnessed a dramatic political shift in the 2026 Assembly elections. Riding a strong anti-incumbency wave, the Congress and its ally RSP are leading in 8 of the district’s 11 constituencies, signalling a major resurgence of the United Democratic Front (UDF). Since the turn of the century the UDF’s presence in the district had been largely restricted to the seats of Kerala Congress (B) led by Ganesh Kumar and RSP (B). After Kumar’s exit from the front, UDF has been largely unsuccessful in the district. In 2021, the UDF won Kundara and Karunagappally, while the LDF secured the remaining nine seats. This time, the RSP, in particular, is staging a strong comeback after its shift to the UDF in 2014, leading in key seats such as Chavara, Eravipuram and Kunnathur, reclaiming parts of its traditional base.

The shift is underscored by a series of high-profile upsets, with Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar trailing in Pathanapuram and CPI minister J Chinchurani falling behind in Chadayamangalam, while Finance Minister K N Balagopal is locked in a tight contest in Kottarakkara. These trends point to a clear erosion of the LDF’s hold even in its safer pockets.

In a parallel development, the BJP won Chathannoor, besides Nemom, with B B Gopakumar trouncing CPI’s R Rajendran by over 4000 votes, indicating a growing third force in select constituencies.

In the 2025 local polls, the UDF scripted a historic victory by wresting control of the Kollam Corporation, ending the LDF’s uninterrupted 25-year reign. The UDF secured 27 divisions in the 56-member council—a massive jump from its 2020 tally of just 9 seats—while the LDF plummeted from 39 seats to 16.

The UDF surge
Kollam: Bindhu Krishna’s redemption
Congress leader Bindhu Krishna has secured a commanding lead of over 16,000 votes in Kollam constituency. Krishna had secured 43.3% vote share in 2021, up from 35.2% in 2016, but lost to Mukesh by a narrow margin of 2,072 votes. The LDF vote share was only slightly higher at 44.9% in 2021, compared to 48.8% in 2016 and 50.9% in 2011.

The Left has held the Kollam seat since the 1970s, first through the RSP and later the CPM, with the only exception being in 1991 when RSP-turned-Congress leader Kadavoor Sivadasan won the constituency.

Kundara: P C Vishnunadh consolidates
UDF’s P C Vishnunadh is comfortably ahead by over 31,000 votes. In 2021, Vishnunadh won with a 44.3% vote share, defeating J Mercykutty Amma in her sitting seat. The LDF’s S L Sajikumar is trailing, indicating a collapse in their traditional labour-class vote bank.

Karunagappally
Congress leader and sitting MLA C R Mahesh has retained the seat with a lead of over 23,000 votes, defeating CPI’s M S Thara.

Pathanapuram: A giant stumble
Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar is trailing UDF’s Jyothikumar Chamakkala by over 7,000 votes. Ganesh Kumar’s personal vote bank, which reliably delivered nearly 49% vote share in 2021, appears to have shifted in favour of Chamakkala. Kumar has won the seat since 2001, securing over 50% vote share in all elections except 2021.

Chadayamangalam: Minister ousted
UDF’s M M Naseer is ahead of Minister and CPI leader J Chinchurani in Chadayamangalam. This is the first time the UDF is winning the constituency since 2001. Chinchurani had defeated Naseer in 2021 with a margin of 13,678 votes and a 45.69% vote share. Prior to this, the constituency was held by CPI’s Mullakkara Ratnakaran for three terms.

RSP’s return
Chavara

RSP heavyweight Shibu Baby John is leading with a comfortable margin over LDF sitting MLA Sujith Vijayan Pillai, signalling the party’s return to strength in its traditional base.

Eravipuram
RSP’s Vishnu Mohan is well ahead of incumbent M Noushad, who has held Eravipuram since 2016.

Kunnathur
In a major upset, RSP’s Ullas Kovur has surged ahead by 16,000 votes against veteran Kovoor Kunjumon, who has held the constituency since 2001. Kunjumon, a former RSP leader, had formed the Revolutionary Socialist Party (Leninist) and switched to the LDF after the RSP joined the UDF.

LDF restricted to 2 seats
Punalur

CPI’s C Ajayaprasad maintains a lead of 23,000 votes. The constituency has remained a CPI stronghold since 1996.

Kottarakkara
Former CPM MLA Aisha Potty who switched allegiances just before the elections and joined the Congress has secured a narrow lead over Finance Minister K N Balagopal. Aisha Potty had secured vote shares of 53.8% and 55.4% in 2011 and 2016. The share dropped to 45.98% in 2021 when Balagopal replaced her as the CPM candidate.

Chathannoor: The saffron streak
The BJP, which had a mere 3.4% vote share in Chathannoor, has steadily improved its performance to 26.3% and 30.6% in 2016 and 2021 respectively. The party also put up an impressive show in the 2025 local body elections, winning 7 out of 19 wards in the Chathannoor grama panchayat.