Kerala Assembly Polls 2026: Narrow victory triggers political blame game in Kottarakara

While K.N. Balagopal managed to retain his seat in Kottarakara in the Assembly elections, the thin margin of victory has triggered a blame game involving vote-trading deals between the major fronts.

Alleging a high-stakes tactical deal between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, has said that the CPI(M) assisted the BJP in Chathannur in exchange for saffron support in Kottarakara.

Mr. Suresh specifically pointed to the Neduvathur grama panchayat, a BJP stronghold with eight members, where Mr. Balagopal surprisingly secured a lead. He alleged that crores were spent in a financial deal to prevent the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate, P. Aisha Potty, from unseating the Minister.

However, the intrigue deepens as the UDF faces internal turmoil over suspected betrayal from within its own ranks. Despite a Statewide UDF wave, the alliance stumbled in its own bastion of Ezhukone. The panchayat has been a Congress fortress for two consecutive terms, boasting ten panchayat members and two block members. While Mr. Balagopal’s lead shrunk significantly in Veliyam and Kareepra compared to previous elections, Ms. Potty trailed by 736 votes in Ezhukone, a place where the UDF expected a lead of at least 700, which would have changed the verdict. Taking moral responsibility for this setback, UDF panchayat chairperson Biju Philip resigned from his post amid furious allegations from workers.

The contest was particularly significant because Ms. Potty is no stranger to Kottarakara’s political pulse. A seasoned veteran and a former three-time MLA from the constituency, she had represented the region with distinction under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) banner before moving to the Congress. Her return as a UDF candidate was seen as a masterstroke to reclaim the seat, making the unexpected deficit in Ezhukone even more suspicious to party loyalists.

The CPI(M) leadership has flatly rejected these accusations, dismissing them as a face-saving tactic by the UDF to mask their own internal failures. CPI(M) district secretary S. Sudevan characterised the allegations as entirely baseless, pointing out that the LDF has consistently maintained dominance in the Neduvathur panchayat over the years. He highlighted that the front secured a substantial 4,000-vote margin there in the 2016 Assembly elections and maintained its lead through the 2021 Assembly and 2024 Parliamentary elections. According to Mr. Sudevan, the LDF’s lead in the panchayat actually diminished in this election compared to previous years, which, he claims, proves that any secret understanding was actually between the BJP and the UDF.