10-year Left govt battles to retain power, Congress faces existential battle in Kerala

Mar 16, 2026 | 17:25 IST

The BJP isn't a major contender yet but will view the upcoming state elections to grow in a state where its presence has seen a steady rise

The 2026 assembly election is shaping up as more than a routine joust for office in Kerala. The battle is emerging as a structural test of political endurance for the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), an existential battle for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), and a strategic expansion project for the BJP-led NDA.

LDF: 10-Year Itch?

Under CM Pinarayi Vijayan, LDF enters the election seeking a rare, third consecutive term — something unprecedented in Kerala’s modern political history. The front had already disrupted the state’s four-decade-old pattern of alternating govts by forming govt in 2021. A victory in 2026 would cement that shift from cyclical anti-incumbency to performance-based continuity.

TOI

TOI

10-year Left govt battles to retain power, Congress faces existential battle in Kerala

The BJP isn't a major contender yet but will view the upcoming state elections to grow in a state where its presence has seen a steady rise

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TOI

10-year Left govt battles to retain power, Congress faces existential battle in Kerala

The BJP isn't a major contender yet but will view the upcoming state elections to grow in a state where its presence has seen a steady rise

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