Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Final sprint in Ernakulam as campaign clock winds down

With just hours left for the public campaign to end, candidates of all three major fronts in the Ernakulam Assembly constituency were in a hurry on Tuesday morning, visiting households.

Candidates focussed on areas missed during their earlier campaign trail, dropping in at households with a small band of workers in tow. A few quick handshakes, a pat on the shoulder, and a gentle reminder to vote were all they could manage as the clock ticked towards the 6 p.m. deadline.

United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate and sitting MLA T.J. Vinod, draped in a tricolour shawl, began his campaign at Manappattiparambu shortly after 8 a.m. He moved through households in the constituency, which he represented twice before and served multiple terms as a Kochi Corporation councillor.

UDF Ernakulam Assembly constituency candidate T.J. Vinod meeting voters.
| Photo Credit:
H. VIBHU

Mr. Vinod expressed confidence of a victory with a wider margin than in the previous election. “There is a general anti-government sentiment among the people, who are convinced about my performance and that I was there for them throughout the past five years,” he said, while discounting the potential impact of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he observed had gained little momentum except towards the fag end of the campaign.

Not far away, in Vaduthala, Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Sabu George, a former Deputy Mayor of Kochi Corporation, was also busy visiting households. He listened attentively as an elderly man, while shaking his hand, reminisced about the past. Mr. George felt that the constituency, largely overlooked during the campaign, under the presumption that it would once again return a UDF candidate, had witnessed a silent shift of tide in favour of the LDF.

“People are not happy with the performance of the sitting MLA, and hence the constituency has not benefited from the State government’s development projects. Those negative votes will favour us. While the BJP may secure its share of votes, it will not affect the LDF’s core base. I am optimistic to win the election,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate P.R. Sivasankar was engaged in discussions with workers while moving between households in Elamakkara. With the BJP largely playing second fiddle to its National Democratic Alliance partner Twenty20 in the district, Ernakulam has become the focal point for the party’s rank and file. Mr. Sivasankar’s campaign centred on the claim that Ernakulam had been neglected for over 70 years despite contributing nearly half of the State’s tax revenue.

NDA Ernakulam Assembly constituency candidate P.R. Sivasankar campaigns in the constituency.
| Photo Credit:
H. VIBHU

“The educated upper-class voters, who traditionally backed the UDF, are likely to switch to the BJP irrespective of religion or caste. There is visible enthusiasm about the BJP campaign. The UDF’s perceived Latin Catholic vote base may even face an adverse impact, as other Christian factions are agitated over one community cornering all key posts, including MLA, MP and Mayor,” he said.

Candidates of all three fronts wrapped up their public campaign with ‘Kalashakottu’, the high-pitched finale of canvassing, at three different points: the UDF at Town Hall, the LDF at Kaloor Junction, and the BJP at Madhava Pharmacy Junction.