Kerala assembly polls: CPI(M) fields 81 candidates, CM Vijayan in contest

With the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections officially set, the ruling CPI(M) on Sunday released a list of 81 candidates, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and 11 of his cabinet colleagues, underscoring the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) effort to retain power in the southern state. The list was unveiled by CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan soon after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule.

The CPI(M)-led LDF plans to contest 86 of the 140 seats , combining party nominees and party-backed independents, and has put forward 10 women candidates in its line-up.

Vijayan, the only Politburo member on the list, is set to contest from Dharmadam in Kannur district . Senior figures like Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer and veteran leader M M Mani were notably left out of the list, while leaders such as K K Shailaja have been shifted to new constituencies.

Alongside the CPI(M) nominees, key ministers in the fray include O R Kelu, P A Mohammed Riyas, V Abdurahiman, M B Rajesh, R Bindu, P Rajeev, V N Vasavan, Saji Cherian, Veena George, K N Balagopal, and V Sivankutty.

The political battle in Kerala is shaping up as a three‑front contest . The ruling LDF’s rivals include the United Democratic Front (UDF) , led by the Indian National Congress, which is finalising its candidate list after internal seat‑sharing discussions. Leaders from allied parties like the Indian Union Muslim League have expressed confidence in the UDF’s electoral prospects.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) , spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, has already released its first list of 47 candidates, featuring prominent leaders such as former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and ex‑state BJP chief K. Surendran , signaling an assertive push to expand the party’s footprint in Kerala’s political landscape.

Govindan defended the party’s selections as democratic and highlighted the LDF government’s achievements in welfare, development, and maintaining social harmony over the past decade. The decision on the candidate for Thiruvananthapuram Central remains pending a court verdict in a case involving expelled MLA Antony Raju .

As the LDF, UDF and NDA finalise strategies and tickets, Kerala’s election campaign is expected to intensify, with competitive battles across constituencies and major leaders locking horns in the weeks ahead.