Kerala polls: Kunnathunad witnesses a strong triangular contest in 2026

Kochi: Travelling through Kunnathunad, one can see rice mills, crusher units, godowns and small-scale industries bustling with activities. A rising commercial hub but politics too has been equally vibrant here, especially after Twenty20, launched in 2015, changed its dynamics. Candidates' posters and flex boards that greet you at every corner prove that.Kunnathunad, formed in 1965, has Kinfra, Rubber Park, BPCL, IOC and HPCL, and several major private industrial units within its limits, contributing richly to the local bodies' revenue.Reserved for Scheduled Caste, the constituency traditionally aligned with UDF, particularly when former food and civil supplies minister T H Mustafa contested from here. But LDF wrested it through M K Krishnan, P P Esthose, M P Varghese, M M Monayi and P V Sreenijin.The poll contests were bipolar, between UDF and LDF, until 2021 when T20, launched by businessman Sabu M Jacob, strongly challenged established political opponents. LDF's Sreenijin managed to wrest the seat from two-time MLA V P Sajeendran by 2,715 votes. Sajeendran had won in 2016 by 2,679 votes.The 2016 poll result proved that votes from the three major fronts — UDF, LDF and NDA — went to T20. In 2021, LDF secured 33.79% vote share compared to 42.32% in 2016; UDF got 32.04% in 2021 against 44.13% in 2016 and BJP a mere 4.66% votes against 11.10% by NDA ally BDJS in 2016. T20, fighting alone, secured 27.56%. T20 joined NDA in time for polls and together it should poll 32.22% if last elections' figures are considered but that is unlikely. The constituency has around 20-22% Muslim and 40% Christian voters — mainly Jacobites — and they may not back the BJP-led front this time. T20 has fielded Babu Divakaran, a Congress turncoat while Sajeendran and Sreenijin, another ex-Congressman, are back in fray."T20 joining NDA will create fissures in Muslim vote base," said George K from Murivilangu. "We've to see whether Jacobites will vote for the party anymore," said a politician from Thiruvaniyoor.While LDF harps on development, UDF and NDA raise corruption charges against the govt."The govt has shelled out over Rs 2,500 crore in the constituency for development works including roads and schools in the last five years. No other MLA has done such works here," said Asok Kumar of Vembilli.Kunnathunad resident P K Sivan highlighted the LDF govt's corruption: "Corruption cases, including Sabarimala gold heist, have been surfacing one after another against the govt. It'll reflect in polls.""T20 has been ruling Kizhakkambalam panchayat for the past two terms. Many of their actions raise questions. They swept the panchayat to take charge in the first term, but failed to do an encore last time. Amid the rising economic activities, agriculture is stuttering. Effluents from industrial units are polluting waterbodies. Protests by residents fall on deaf ears," said George. "Mamalathodu, which is flowing near my house, often gets polluted due to waste water discharge from an industrial unit in Mazhuvannur panchayat," says E K Yohannan of Chemmanadu in Thiruvaniyoor.