Ambalappuzha election results 2026: Independent candidate G.Sudhakaran defeats CPI(M)’s H.Salam by 27,935 votes

NEW DELHI: In Kerala’s Ambalappuzha, independent candidate G.Sudhakaran emerged as the winner, defeating CPI(M)’s H.Salam by 27,935 votes. G.Sudhakaran received 75,184 votes, while H.Salam secured 47,249 votes. There were a total of 169826 registered voters on the electoral rolls for the 2026 Assembly election in Ambalapuzha Assembly constituency, of whom 82849 were male, 86975 female and 2 belonged to the third gender.Exit polls released for the high-stakes Kerala battle indicate a competitive contest, with the incumbent LDF government seeking a third consecutive term amid a strong challenge from the UDF.Ambalappuzha Assembly constituency, numbered 105, lies in Alappuzha district of Kerala under the Alappuzha parliamentary constituency. Established in 1957 and refined in the 2008 delimitation, it covers Ambalappuzha taluk including parts of Alappuzha Municipality fringes, panchayats like Purakkad, Thottappally, and coastal villages along the Vembanad Lake, with around 190,000 electors. This general seat embodies Kerala's coastal essence with fishing communities, paddy fields, coir weaving, houseboat tourism, salt pans, and backwater networks, blending rural livelihoods with seasonal vibrancy amid canals, beaches, and festivals like Nehru Trophy boat race.CPI(M) of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) holds strong with H. Salam as current MLA since 2016. In 2021, he won convincingly with 65,841 votes (47.92 per cent), defeating Congress's A.D. Sujatha (59,615 votes) by 6,226 votes (4.53 per cent) at 77.45 per cent turnout — extending his 2016 margin of 8,433 over the same opponent. LDF's fisher-labor base consistently outpaces UDF's traditional hold and BJP's 5-7 per cent share in this swing seat.Key issues include coastal erosion eroding farmlands and homes, backwater flooding from poor drainage and sea rise, fish depletion due to pollution and overfishing, coir industry decline hitting women workers, youth unemployment driving migration, waste polluting waterways, road-waterlogging during monsoons, and demands for harbor modernization, seafood processing hubs, mangrove conservation, and climate-resilient agriculture. These maritime struggles cement LDF's edge in this iconic waterside stronghold.