Kottarakkara Election Results 2026: CPI(M)’s K.N. Balagopal defeats INC’s Aisha Potty by 1012 votes

In Kerela’s Kottarakkara, CPI(M)’s K.N. Balagopal received 63,926 votes, defeating INC’s Aisha Potty by 1,012 votes. Aisha Potty got 62,914 votes. The constituency is a general seat covering Kottarakkara town and rural panchayats such as Kareepra and Veliyam. The region is shaped by rubber plantations, cashew processing units and a diverse demographic profile.In the 2026 assembly elections, the LDF has fielded KN Balagopal, while the UDF has nominated Aisha Potty and the BJP has put forward R Reshmi.In the 2021 assembly elections, CPI(M) candidate K.N. Balagopal won the seat with 68,770 votes, accounting for 45.98 per cent of the vote share. He defeated Congress candidate R. Resmi, who secured 57,956 votes (38.75 per cent), with a margin of 10,814 votes. BJP candidate Vayakkal Soman polled 21,223 votes, while voter turnout stood at 72.23 per cent.Kottarakkara has remained a stronghold for the LDF in recent elections, with agriculture and plantation-based livelihoods playing a key role in local issues. The constituency continues to face recurring challenges such as flooding from the Kallada River, which damages crops and affects rural settlements.Other major concerns include poor rural road connectivity affecting farm exports, youth unemployment despite Gulf remittances, and irregular water supply along with sanitation gaps. Residents also report overburdened primary health centres, illegal quarrying impacting rivers, and monsoon-related power outages.Additional issues such as rising land prices affecting smallholders, traffic congestion near markets, and inadequate public transport continue to strain the local economy.