Kollam shock: Red stronghold breached

Once an LDF fortress, Kollam delivered a stunning reversal in the 2026 assembly elections, with the alliance reduced to just two of the 11 seats. The biggest shock came from Chathannur, where BJP breached a long-held Left bastion.

From nine seats in 2021 assembly polls, LDF crashed to two, while UDF surged from two to eight. BJP opened its account in district, signalling a decisive political shift. The verdict signals that Kollam is no longer a predictable left stronghold but a fluid political battleground where organization, local connection and sustained grassroots work outweigh legacy loyalties.



The most striking upset came in Chathannur, where BJP's B B Gopakumar polled 51,923 votes to defeat CPI(M)'s R Rajendran (47,525). In Chadayamangalam, Congress candidate M M Naseer secured 68,281 votes, defeating minister J Chinchurani (60,795). In Pathanapuram, Congress' Jyothikumar Chamakkala (68,275) defeated transport minister K B Ganesh Kumar (59,965).

The Congress also wrested the Kollam seat, with Bindu Krishna polling 63,416 votes to defeat LDF's S Jayamohan (46,586). In 2021, the seat had been held by CPI(M)'s M Mukesh, underlining the scale of the shift.

The lone narrow escape for LDF came in Kottarakkara, where K N Balagopal retained the seat by just 1012 votes (63,926) against rebel Aisha Potty (62,914).

The election also saw an RSP resurgence, with Shibu Baby John winning Chavara (74,308) and Vishnu Mohan taking Eravipuram (64,383). Kundara stayed with P C Vishnunath (87,862), while Punalur remained the only LDF hold, with Ajayaprasad (71,944) defeating Noushad Younus (50,415).

Political observers attribute the outcome to anti-incumbency and shifting voter behaviour. Sooranad Chandrasekhar, INTUC district president, said voters are no longer bound by party loyalty. "If promises are not delivered, voters are willing to vote out candidates, regardless of party affiliation," he said.

A source within Congress said organizational weakness and candidate disconnect hurt the party in Chathannur. "Our groundwork in Chathannur was not strong enough to match BJP's early and sustained mobilisation. The candidate also lacked local roots, which affected communication and trust-building with voters. These are serious gaps and we have identified them clearly," he said.

LDF sources admitted lapses in campaign timing and outreach. "Our campaign started late compared to previous elections. We could not effectively identify and reach voters at the grassroots level. The BJP candidate had stronger local presence and rapport, which made a difference," a party source said.

A BJP leader credited a quiet campaign strategy for the breakthrough. "We focused on door-to-door engagement rather than large public events. Our workers consistently interacted with voters, understood local issues and built trust. It was a silent campaign but very effective," the leader said.
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