Kerala Polls: CPM to contest 86 seats; MM Mani and AN Shamseer out, 5 candidates to be named later
Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan has officially announced the party's candidate list for the upcoming Assembly elections. The CPM, the major ally of the ruling LDF Government, will have 86 candidates, including one party-backed independent. The list features 56 sitting MLAs. Notably, K K Jayachandran will replace M M Mani in Udumbanchola, while Karayi Rajan will contest from Thalassery instead of Speaker A N Shamseer.
CPM candidate list for the 2026 Kerala Assembly Elections
| No. | Constituency | Candidate |
| 1 | Manjeshwaram | K R Jayananda |
| 2 | Uduma | Adv C H Kunhambu |
| 3 | Trikkaripur | Dr V P P Mustafa |
| 4 | Payyanur | T I Madhusoodanan |
| 5 | Taliparamba | P K Shyamala |
| 6 | Azhikode | K V Sumesh |
| 7 | Kalliasseri | M Vigin |
| 8 | Dharmadam | Pinarayi Vijayan |
| 9 | Mattannur | V K Sanoj |
| 10 | Peravoor | K K Shailaja |
| 11 | Thalassery | Karayi Rajan |
| 12 | Mananthavady | O R Kelu |
| 13 | Sulthan Bathery | M S Viswanathan |
| 14 | Kuttiadi | K P Kunhammed Kutty Master |
| 15 | Perambra | T P Ramakrishnan |
| 16 | Balussery | Adv K M Sachin Dev |
| 17 | Quilandy | K Dasan |
| 18 | Kozhikode North | Thottathil Raveendran |
| 19 | Beypore | P A Mohammed Riyas |
| 20 | Thiruvambady | Linto Joseph |
| 21 | Ponnani | Adv M K Sakeer |
| 22 | Wandoor | Dr K K Damodaran Master |
| 23 | Perinthalmanna | V P Muhammed Haneefa |
| 24 | Mankada | M P Alavi |
| 25 | Thrithala | M B Rajesh |
| 26 | Tarur | P P Sumod |
| 27 | Alathur | T M Sasi |
| 28 | Nenmara | K Preman |
| 29 | Shornur | P Mammikutty |
| 30 | Ottapalam | Adv K Premkumar |
| 31 | Kongad | Adv K Shanthakumari |
| 32 | Malampuzha | A Prabhakaran |
| 33 | Kunnamkulam | A C Moideen |
| 34 | Chelakkara | U R Pradeep |
| 35 | Manalur | Prof C Raveendranath |
| 36 | Guruvayur | N K Akbar |
| 37 | Puthukkad | K K Ramachandran |
| 38 | Irinjalakuda | Dr R Bindu |
| 39 | Wadakkanchery | Xavier Chittilappilly |
| 40 | Angamaly | Saju Paul |
| 41 | Aluva | Adv A M Ariff |
| 42 | Kunnathunad | P V Srinijin |
| 43 | Vypeen | Adv M B Shiny |
| 44 | Kalamassery | P Rajeev |
| 45 | Thrikkakara | Adv Pushpadas |
| 46 | Kochi | K J Maxi |
| 47 | Tripunithura | K N Unnikrishnan |
| 48 | Kothamangalam | Antony John |
| 49 | Udumbanchola | K K Jayachandran |
| 50 | Devikulam | Adv A Raja |
| 51 | Ettumanoor | V N Vasavan |
| 52 | Kottayam | Adv K Anilkumar |
| 53 | Puthuppally | K M Radhakrishnan |
| 54 | Aroor | Daleema |
| 55 | Alappuzha | P P Chitharanjan |
| 56 | Ambalappuzha | H Salam |
| 57 | Kayamkulam | Adv U Prathibha |
| 58 | Chengannur | Saji Cheriyan |
| 59 | Mavelikkara | M S Arun Kumar |
| 60 | Aranmula | Veena George |
| 61 | Konni | Adv K U Jenish Kumar |
| 62 | Kottarakkara | K N Balagopal |
| 63 | Kundara | S L Sajikumar |
| 64 | Eravipuram | M Naushad |
| 65 | Kollam | S Jayanmohan |
| 66 | Varkala | Adv V Joy |
| 67 | Attingal | O S Ambika |
| 68 | Vamanapuram | Adv D K Murali |
| 69 | Kazhakoottam | Kadakampally Surendran |
| 70 | Vattiyoorkavu | Adv V K Prasanth |
| 71 | Nemom | V Sivankutty |
| 72 | Kattakkada | Adv I B Satheesh |
| 73 | Aruvikkara | Adv G Stephan |
| 74 | Neyyattinkara | K Ansalan |
| 75 | Parassala | C K Hareendran |
LDF-supported Independent candidates
| No. | Constituency | Candidate |
| 1 | Kunnamangalam | P T A Rahim |
| 2 | Tanur | V Abdurahiman |
| 3 | Vengara | Muhammed Sabah Kundukuzhikkal |
| 4 | Nilambur | U Sharaf Ali |
| 5 | Tavanur | Dr K T Jaleel |
| 6 | Chavara | Dr Sujith Vijayan |
The candidate for Thiruvananthapuram Central will be announced after the verdict in the material evidence case. Five more Independents, including one for Palakkad, will be named later.
In addition, Adv T Ashok Kumar has been named as the candidate for the Mahe constituency in Puducherry.
Elections are scheduled for April 9, with counting on May 4.