Kalpetta election result 2026: UDF’s T Siddique retains seat, wins by margin of over 45,000 votes

Votes for the 2026 Assembly elections are being counted on Monday, with results now confirmed for Kalpetta constituency, where UDF candidate T. Siddique has secured a decisive victory.

T. Siddique, representing the Congress-led UDF, won the seat with 97,379 votes. He defeated P.K. Anil Kumar of the LDF, who secured 52,348 votes, while NDA candidate Prasanth Malavayal of the BJP finished third with 19,175 votes.

Siddique won by a margin of 45,031 votes, marking a comfortable retention of the constituency.

Campaign shaped by outreach and local identity

The campaign period saw contrasting strategies. Siddique focused on extensive grassroots outreach, combining public receptions with direct visits to households. His messaging centred on education support initiatives and long-pending infrastructure demands in Wayanad.

Anilkumar projected himself as a local figure with deep roots, relying on familiarity with voters and highlighting the LDF government’s record, including rehabilitation efforts and development claims.

Malavayal adopted a quieter campaign, prioritising small-scale interactions and positioning himself as an alternative to both dominant fronts, while raising issues such as transport gaps and plantation distress.

Landslide rehabilitation dominates political narrative

The Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide, which caused significant loss of life, remained central to the campaign. Rehabilitation efforts became a key political flashpoint, with both UDF and LDF presenting competing narratives on delivery and delays. The partially completed township project and concerns over exclusions from beneficiary lists featured prominently in voter discussions.

Past results and electoral context

Kalpetta has shown shifting electoral patterns. In 2021, Siddique won the seat with 70,252 votes, defeating his nearest rival by 5,470 votes. In 2016, the LDF had secured a decisive victory.

The constituency has over 2.12 lakh voters, covering Kalpetta municipality and surrounding panchayats.