As Malayalis stood in long queues and then finally pressed the button, which would ultimately decide their next MLA and, in turn, the government, what was going through their mind?
Were they thinking about the rising cost of living, the ecological disasters and crises, unemployment, or the capabilities of their candidates? Or were they concerned about recent speeches by politicians disparaging each other, the sensational breaking news and social media posts, the Sabarimala case?
In the first phase of the election campaign, Kerala saw each party releasing manifestos and highlighting development policies, infrastructure projects, unemployment, and policy decisions to support the vulnerable.
However, as the heat rose and the rousing campaigns rapidly progressed to a crescendo, all the talking points that directly impacted the common man disappeared. We moved away from the real deal.
The character of electioneering itself changed. “It gave way to a war of words between the fronts,” says C S Chandrika, writer and activist. Elections in Kerala have always had that touch, she adds. “However, with social media and the 24x7 newscycle, it has become easier to divert the attention away from real issues,” she says.
It has also become difficult to filter the fact as campaigning and mud-slinging have become concentrated on individual politicians, she adds.
“Salient issues such as the lack of women candidates, in a state where women are the majority, and the lack of diverse candidates from SC/ST communities were never even discussed. Topics like ecology and sustainable development also got sidelined the past few weeks,” she explains.
According to her, the developmental plans of the next government, whoever comes into power, to be built on the existing infrastructure should have been a major discussion this time around.
“But it has all become a noise, and the process of building democracy has become a fine sacrifice on the altar of sensationalism.”
Election analyst and senior journalist M G Radhakrishnan feels such a trend accompanies almost all high-decibel election campaigns nowadays, even globally.
“At the end of the day, we cannot forget that emotions win elections nowadays, and even if there is development in the agenda, somewhere it gets overwhelmed by emotive issues. As this gets accentuated on social media, the mainstream media also has to follow suit for want of eyeballs.” The trend isn’t what society needs, but it remains as a flipside of parliamentary democracy, he adds.
Psychiatrist Dr C J John has also been watching the election closely, especially due to these issues. “Our politicians have lost touch with the common man,” he says.
“They are also chasing mass moments like the heroes of a mainstream film. They also want likes, followers, and comments. Do they even interact with the people and address the real issues? It is like they are living in a different world altogether, especially during the election season,” he feels.
It is not just the politicians, Dr John adds, people also look at the campaigning as a masala entertainer. “They sit in front of the TV or their phones, laughing at all the statements and channel debates. It is better than watching a serial now,” he laughs.
Also, he says, that’s what the people want too. “They want to be entertained, they like the high and low, like a nail-biting IPL match. And each of these grandstandings has a separate fan following. It is a diversion for them. I mean, not a single party or politician spoke about the lakhs and lakhs of Malayalis in Gulf countries navigating a tense situation. In Kerala, it is difficult to find a household that does not have a family member in the Gulf. Hence, this silence was shocking,” he says.
However, Dr John is optimistic. “Malayali voters might enjoy these political theatres, but I think they will keep the real issues in mind while voting.”
Kerala’s development hiccups
Healthwise, the Kerala parameters are said to match global standards, yet there is need for improvement, such as addressing workforce distribution, rural and urban health disparities, and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure. These pressures have also played out on the ground. In recent months, nurses across both government and private hospitals have staged protests, raising concerns over low wages, long working hours, and poor working conditions. In infrastructure development, regulatory issues, environmental impact, and funding still bog certain strategic projects, such as the SilverLine, the Coastal Highway, etc. Any discussion on all these, unfortunately, featured just in fits and starts during the campaigning.
Ecological issues
Kerala’s host of environmental woes stretches from the crests of its hills to the troughs of its seas. Heavy rainfall and landslides, accentuated by mindless deforestation, have been its bane for some years now, amply warned by reports by Kasturirangan and Madhav Gadgil. This has led to habitat losses that have sparked another much-in-the-news environmental issue — man-animal conflict. Adding to this are climate change, pollution hazards, inadequate waste disposal mechanisms, and coastal erosion. However, none of the political fronts considered the topic with the scientific acumen it deserves. According to activists like Sridhar Radhakrishnan, proposals with suggestions and scientific approaches do not receive their due, and such issues hardly get a mention during campaigning.
Price hike
Through 2025, Kerala has consistently recorded some of the highest inflation rates in the country, at around 6–7% during peak months. In contrast, the national average has remained around 3-4%. The rate of price rise is also higher in Kerala. The state depends heavily on other states for essential goods. The fuel prices, which seems to remain close to Rs 100 per litre for petrol and diesel, leads to costlier supply chains due to transporting goods from other states. Prices of vegetables, rice, cooking essentials like coconut oil have seen repeated spikes. Essential goods remain expensive in rural Kerala too.
Law and order
Among the law and order issues is the steady rise in drug-related offences. Educational institutions are increasingly identified as hotspots. In 2024 alone, nearly 3,000 school-going children were admitted for de-addiction. In 2025, Kochi City police registered over 3,000 drug-related cases. Beyond narcotics, public safety concerns persist. Instances of gang violence and quotation attacks in broad daylight have also resurfaced in recent months, raising serious concerns.
Unemployment rate
The recent Periodic Labour Force Survey says, Kerala’s overall unemployment rate seems to be improving, as the overall rate has dipped to 4.3%. However, it is still above the national average of 3.1. Among the youth, unemployment rates remain high. As per the previous report, the number was at 29.9% for young people (15 to 29). There is a significant gap when broken down by gender, as nearly 47.1% of young women are unemployed. This was not highlighted.
Gender equity
Kerala’s gender reality continues to show a deep imbalance between presence and power. Although women form a larger share of the electorate, their representation in politics is limited. Across the 140 constituencies, the major fronts have fielded only a few women (LDF 18, NDA 18 and UDF 12). Also concerns around women’s safety remain. Between 2017 and 2024, more than 1.18 lakh cases of crimes against women were reported. In 2023 alone, 19,000 cases, including more than 2,500 rape cases. Even the controversial 2026 Transgender Act failed to be a discussion point this time around. Systemic reform has yet to match the scale and persistence of these issues.
With inputs from Supriya, Parvana K B and Aparna Nair