Sebastian Kulathunkal reclaims lead in Poonjar from UDF, P C George in third

Sitting MLA and Kerala Congress (M) leader Sebastian Kulathunkal has reclaimed his lead as counting is underway in Poonjar, in one of Kottayam district’s closely watched contests in the 2026 Kerala Assembly election.

Kulathunkal leads by 453 votes as of 9.28 AM. UDF candidate Sebastian M J was in the lead in the first hours, while NDA candidate and former MLA P C George was placed third.

Poonjar is witnessing a keen three-cornered contest among the UDF, LDF and NDA, making the constituency one of the key battlegrounds in Kottayam this election season.

Poonjar is witnessing a keen three-cornered contest among the UDF, LDF and NDA, making the constituency one of the key battlegrounds in Kottayam this election season.

As in previous elections, P C George remained the central figure throughout the campaign. A dominant force in Poonjar politics for decades, George had earlier won the seat on a KCM ticket before later contesting and winning as an Independent. This time, he entered the fray as the BJP candidate.

Despite George’s strong personal influence and long-standing voter base in the constituency, political observers had viewed the principal contest as one between the UDF and the LDF. Early counting trends appear to reflect that assessment, with Sebastian M J and Kulathunkal emerging as the main contenders.

The Congress has fielded Sebastian M J, the party’s Poonjar constituency president, in a bid to secure a victory for an INC candidate in the seat after several decades. The LDF, meanwhile, has fielded sitting MLA Sebastian Kulathunkal of KCM, who defeated George in the 2021 Assembly election and helped the party regain ground in the constituency.

The contest is significant for all three candidates. For George, this is his first electoral battle under BJP colours after merging his party- Kerala Janapaksham- with the saffron camp. For KCM, retaining Poonjar is crucial to maintaining its standing as a key LDF ally. For the Congress, the election offers an opportunity to stage a comeback in a constituency where it has struggled for decades.

The 2016 Assembly election marked a major turning point in Poonjar politics. After parting ways with KCM, George contested as an Independent and delivered a commanding victory. He won by a margin of 27,821 votes, securing around 43 per cent of the vote share. The BDJS, then aligned with the NDA, polled about 13 per cent votes.

However, George was unable to replicate that success in 2021. Kulathunkal secured nearly 42 per cent of votes and defeated George. George, contesting under the Kerala Janapaksham banner, managed around 29.9 per cent vote share, while then DCC President Tomy Kallany polled nearly 24 per cent.

Ahead of the 2026 polls, George formally aligned with the BJP after merging his party with it. However, political observers believe his recent controversial remarks targeting the Pala Bishop, along with statements viewed as critical of sections of the Christian community, may have affected his prospects. His aggressive positioning on issues linked to SDPI and Popular Front in Erattupetta is also seen as having polarised sections of voters.

These developments may consolidate sections of Muslim voters and parts of the Christian community against George, potentially reducing his electoral advantage.

This has shifted the focus to the LDF-UDF contest. Kulathunkal, however, is facing anti-incumbency concerns, with some local dissatisfaction reported over his tenure. The UDF believes this could work in its favour.

The Manorama News–C Voter survey also suggested an edge for Sebastian M J, indicating that the UDF may have an opportunity to reclaim the constituency after decades.