Deepak Joy takes early lead in Tripunithura, LDF's Unnikrishnan second; Anjali Nair trails
Thripunithura's tight election race sees UDF gaining momentum. Following K Babu's exit, a fluid contest emerged with LDF initially leading, but UDF's candidate is now favoured.
Thripunithura's tight election race sees UDF gaining momentum. Following K Babu's exit, a fluid contest emerged with LDF initially leading, but UDF's candidate is now favoured.
Thripunithura's tight election race sees UDF gaining momentum. Following K Babu's exit, a fluid contest emerged with LDF initially leading, but UDF's candidate is now favoured.
Deepak Joy has claimed a lead over LDF candidate K N Unnikrishnan in the Thripunithura constituency, one of the keenly watched contests in the state in the Kerala Assembly elections 2026.
Unnikrishnan is in the second place, while NDA candidate and actress Anjali Nair is trailing behind both fronts.
Thripunithura has emerged as one of the most closely watched constituencies in Kerala after veteran Congress leader and long-time MLA K Babu decided against seeking another term.
His exit has opened up a rare opportunity for both the LDF and the NDA in a constituency long shaped by his personal electoral influence. While the BJP has viewed Thripunithura as an A-class constituency.
The UDF fielded Deepak Joy, Kochi’s Deputy Mayor, tasking him with the difficult challenge of succeeding Babu in the constituency. The LDF quickly announced K N Unnikrishnan as its candidate soon after the election schedule was announced.
The NDA, meanwhile, reshaped the contest by allotting the seat to ally Twenty20 in a move that surprised sections of BJP workers. Actor Anjali Nair was fielded as the candidate, significantly altering the electoral equation.
The Congress alleged that the BJP’s move indirectly benefited the LDF by splitting anti-incumbency votes, though this remained a political charge.
However, the NDA’s strategy appears to have produced mixed results. Rather than consolidating support, political observers say the candidate selection triggered unease among sections of BJP sympathisers who had viewed the election as one of the party’s best opportunities in the absence of Babu.
Anjali Nair’s campaign also drew attention over her late legal battle to change her name on EVMs from “Anjali PV” to “Anjali Nair,” as well as her efforts to leverage her celebrity status and social media presence. A viral campaign video comparing Twenty20’s jackfruit symbol to lotus petals further attracted online attention, but also invited criticism.
As the campaign progressed, momentum appeared to shift toward the UDF.
Initially viewed as an outsider, Deepak Joy gradually shed that tag and built his own presence in the constituency. Babu also campaigned extensively for him, helping transfer his personal voter base to the UDF candidate.
Thripunithura has historically been a Congress bastion under Babu. He represented the constituency from 1991 to 2021, barring a lone defeat in 2016 to M Swaraj.
Babu first won the seat in 1991 by defeating M M Lawrence by 4,946 votes. He later expanded his margins significantly, defeating rivals by 14,773 votes in 1996 and by 24,296 votes in 2001.
He maintained comfortable victories in 2006 and 2011 before losing to Swaraj in 2016 amid the fallout from the bar bribery controversy during the Oommen Chandy government, when he served as Excise Minister.
Babu reclaimed the seat in 2021, defeating Swaraj by just 992 votes — the narrowest victory margin of his career.
This time, in the absence of Babu, the contest has become more fluid. With both the UDF and LDF candidates belonging to the Ezhava community, the community votes could split, making floating voters and dissatisfied BJP supporters a potentially decisive bloc.
The Manorama News–C Voter survey reflected this shift, indicating that while the LDF enjoyed an early advantage, the UDF gained momentum in the final stages of campaigning and currently appears to hold a slight edge in retaining the constituency.