Manjeri election results 2026: IUML’s Adv M Rahmathulla wins by 57,887 votes

MANJERI: IUML’s Adv M Rahmathulla wins Manjeri seat, defeats Independent V M Musthafa by 57,887 votesRahmathulla secured 1,13,622 votes, while Musthafa polled 55,735 votes.Nestled in Kerala's Malappuram district, the Manjeri Assembly constituency continues to symbolize the Indian Union Muslim League's (IUML) unyielding dominance within the United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition. As the 37th seat among Kerala's 140 assembly segments, it draws over 200,000 voters, predominantly from Muslim communities, fueling voter turnouts above 73per cent in recent cycles. This general seat, spanning Manjeri Municipality and surrounding panchayats like Trikkalangode and Pandikkad, feeds into the Malappuram Lok Sabha and remains a bellwether for UDF fortunes ahead of 2026 polls. In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, IUML's Adv. U.A. Latheef triumphed with 78,836 votes, capturing 50.22per cent of the share against CPI's Dibona Naser's 64,263 votes at 40.93per cent, securing a decisive margin of 14,573 votes from 206,960 electors. The 2016 contest reinforced this trend, as IUML's Adv. M. Ummer polled 69,779 votes (50.22per cent) to outpace CPI's Adv. K. Mohandas's 50,163 votes (36.10per cent) by 19,616 votes among 190,277 voters. These back-to-back victories highlight IUML's organizational edge over Left Democratic Front (LDF) challengers, despite competitive battles. Looking ahead, Manjeri's trajectory underscores IUML's hold since 1977, barring early exceptions, amid shifting alliances and caste dynamics in north Kerala. Local issues like development and minority concerns will likely shape the next showdown, keeping this UDF stronghold in the spotlight.