&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Dharmadam to Nemom: Top Constituencies to watch in Kerala election 2026")
Kerala is gearing up for the Assembly elections scheduled for Thursday (Apr 9), with the state preparing for a single-phase battle across all 140 constituencies. The polling will begin at 7 AM, and over 2.6 crore voters will decide the fate of 883 candidates. This election is a historic test for the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) as it seeks an unprecedented third consecutive term, while the United Democratic Front (UDF) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) mount aggressive campaigns to disrupt the status quo. On Tuesday (April 7), Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar announced the dispatch of 1.46 lakh trained polling personnel to polling stations. "As part of the arrangements for Kerala Assembly elections, we have the total electorate of 2.71 crores, and the service voters are 53,984... We will be counting the votes in 140 strong rooms and 43 locations. We have 1.46 lakh polling personnel who have been trained and will be dispatched to all the polling stations," he was quoted in news agency ANI.
Top constituencies to watch
Dharmadam
All eyes are on Dharmadam, where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is seeking to solidify his legacy. The LDF campaign, anchored by the slogan "Mattarund LDF Allathe?", which loosely translates to ‘Who else but LDF?’, highlights a decade of infrastructure and welfare development. However, the UDF has fielded Abdul Rasheed to capitalise on anti-incumbency, while the BJP's K. Ranjith aims to expand the saffron footprint in this high-profile red bastion.
Palakkad
Perhaps the most watched contest in the state is Palakkad. The constituency is currently experiencing a genuine three-way competition. The UDF has fielded popular actor Ramesh Pisharody to retain their hold, but they face a formidable challenge from the BJP’s Sobha Surendran, a veteran firebrand who has turned the seat into a prestige battle for the NDA. Meanwhile, the LDF’s NMR. Rasakh is striving to strengthen the Left's traditional base in a seat where the margins are anticipated to be extremely narrow.
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Nemom
In Thiruvananthapuram’s Nemom, the NDA has deployed one of its biggest heavyweights, Rajeev Chandrasekhar. After a strong showing in local body polls, the BJP views Nemom as their best chance for an Assembly breakthrough. They are countered by the LDF and the UDF, who have both prioritised this seat to prevent the NDA from opening its account in the state legislature.
Key regional trends to watch
In the UDF stronghold of Malappuram, senior leader PK Kunhalikutty has shifted to the Malappuram seat, while K.M. Shaji takes on Vengara. The LDF is attempting an upset in Tanur, where they have fielded P Mohammed Sameer to counter the UDF's youth leader PK Nawas. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha trends, constituencies like Thrissur and Manalur are seeing heightened NDA activity. In Thrissur, Padmaja Venugopal (BJP) is at the centre of a complex political narrative involving her family's Congress legacy. In the hill ranges, the UDF is banking on the "Indira Guarantees" released by Revanth Reddy to hold seats like Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery, while the LDF targets the UDF over perceived delays in landslide rehabilitation.
