Kerala assembly polls 2026: KK Shailaja eyes comeback in Peravoor against Sunny Joseph

Setting the stage for a high-profile electoral battle in Kerala, CPI(M) leader and former minister K. K. Shailaja on Sunday said she views her contest against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph in Peravoor as a “challenge,” while expressing confidence in the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) prospects.

Joseph has represented Peravoor since 2011. However, Shailaja said the constituency remains winnable for the Left, citing the relatively narrow victory margins of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in recent elections.

Shifted from Mattannur — a CPI(M) stronghold where she secured a record victory margin of 60,963 votes in the 2021 Assembly elections — Shailaja is returning to a constituency where she has prior experience. She had won from Peravoor in 2006 but lost to Joseph in 2011.

“I see it as a challenge. The party and the Left Democratic Front asked me to contest from Peravoor and win the seat. It is not a constituency that the Left cannot win. I have contested here before and won,” Shailaja told PTI Videos.

Reflecting on her earlier contest, she said, ““Back then, I contested against E.D. Mustafa and won with a comfortable majority. However, this is not the old Peravoor—it has changed after delimitation. I contested once after that and lost by a narrow margin. That loss was due to false cases filed against some of our workers just before the election, which disrupted our campaign. Many votes could not be polled. Otherwise, we would have won that time as well’’

Shailaja stressed that Peravoor is not a losing constituency for the Left, noting that recent UDF victories have come by narrow margins.

“If our votes are mobilised properly and people vote for change, the Left can win comfortably. We are expecting that change for the development of Peravoor,” she said.

Responding to Opposition criticism that Kerala’s health sector is “on a ventilator,” Shailaja rejected the claim and dismissed comparisons between her tenure and that of current Health Minister Veena George.

“There is no need for such comparisons. This government is a continuation of the previous LDF government. During our tenure, we initiated several reforms, including the Aardram Mission, which brought significant improvements from primary health centres to medical colleges,” she said.

Highlighting key achievements, she added, “We upgraded infrastructure, introduced master plans with KIIFB funding, and improved clinical practices. Primary Health Centres were transformed into Family Health Centres with increased staff and services. When I stepped down, over 400 PHCs had been upgraded; that number has now crossed 800’’

According to Shailaja, governance continuity has helped sustain and expand these reforms. She pointed to the modernisation of district hospitals and the introduction of super-speciality services.

“Cath labs were established, helping save thousands of lives,” she said.

On speculation about her as a potential Chief Minister, Shailaja dismissed it as political conjecture, asserting that Pinarayi Vijayan remains a strong leader.

Looking ahead, she said that if the LDF secures a third consecutive term, the focus would be on sustainable development and boosting Kerala’s own revenue.

“We need to create employment opportunities, especially for educated youth, through initiatives like Knowledge Kerala. This will help transform Kerala into an earning economy,” she said.