13 Kerala Ministers toppled: Left bastions crumble as UDF surges
In an election defined by massive upsets, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has dismantled traditional Left strongholds, leaving 13 sitting Ministers of the LDF defeated.
The most high-profile casualty was Education Minister V Sivankutty in Nemom, who lost to BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar by 4,978 votes. This is a huge reversal from 2021 when Sivankutty snatched the seat from the BJP. Similarly, Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchu Rani lost her Chadayamangalam seat to UDF’s M M Naseer by 7,486 votes.
In Pathanapuram, a perennial flashpoint of rivalry, Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar was defeated by Jyothikumar Chamakkala of the UDF with a margin of 8,310 votes. Health Minister Veena George, who faced intense scrutiny during her tenure, lost Aranmula to UDF’s Abin Varkey by 18,985 votes.
The wave of defeats continued across the state
- V N Vasavan (Devaswom Minister): Lost Ettumanoor to UDF’s Nattakom Suresh by 19,752 votes.
- Roshy Augustine (Water Resources Minister): Defeated in Idukki by Roy K Poulose (23,822-vote margin).
- P Rajeev (Industries Minister): Lost his Kalamassery seat to V E Abdul Gafoor by 16,312 votes.
- R Bindu (Higher Education Minister): Lost Irinjalakuda to *Thomas Unniyadan by 10,212 votes.
- M B Rajesh (Local Self-Government Minister): Defeated in Thrithala by V T Balram by 8,385 votes.
- A K Saseendran (Forest Minister): Lost Elathur to Vidya Balakrishnan by 12,162 votes.
- Ahamed Devarkovil (Ports Minister): Lost Kozhikode South to Faisal Babu by 10,795 votes.
- O R Kelu (SC/ST Welfare Minister): Defeated in Mananthavady by Usha Vijayan by 10,543 votes.
- Kadannappalli Ramachandran (Ports Minister): Lost Kannur to T O Mohanan by 18,551 votes.
Other major upsets
The UDF surge also saw Jose K Mani (Kerala Congress-M) lose Pala to Mani C Kappan, and Shanimol Usman defeat Daleema Jojo in Aroor. In Kayamkulam, U Prathibha lost to Congress’s M Liju.
The BJP also faced setbacks; Akhil Mararin Thrikkakara and Padmaja Venugopal in Thrissur both finished in third place. In Palakkad, Sobha Surendran came second to Congress's Ramesh Pisharody.
Notable defeats included P V Anvar (UDF) in Beypore against Minister P A Mohammed Riyas, and T P Ramakrishnan (LDF) losing Perambra to Fathima Thahlia. High-profile LDF figures K M Sachin Dev and K K Shailaja also faced defeat in Balussery and Peravoor, respectively, while BJP State President K Surendran lost in Manjeshwar.