KANNUR: In the LDF stronghold that is Payyanur, elections have almost always followed a familiar script. The people, unwaveringly loyal, have chosen LDF candidates time and again, often with commanding majorities. But as the 2026 assembly election draws near, unease is growing within the CPM.
It began after V Kunhikrishnan, a senior party leader, raised serious allegations of misappropriation of the martyrs’ fund, pointing fingers at sitting LDF MLA T I Madhusoodanan and other top leaders. His claims kicked up a row, dragging the party into a spotlight it wanted to avoid and giving ample political ammunition to the Opposition.
However, all is well, says Madhusoodanan. “People are positively responding to the election campaign. They only care about developments. They are not bothered by allegations raised by Kunhikrishnan,” he says.
The Kunhikrishnan episode took a dramatic turn after CPM expelled him from the party. He responded by declaring his candidature as an independent from Payyanur. The UDF extended support and ally Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) chose not to field its own candidate, deciding instead to follow its front’s decision and back the ex-CPM leader. Kunhikrishnan says people are showing strong support during his election campaign.
In Payyanur, CPM candidates have won in the past with huge margins. In 2011, LDF candidate C Krishnan won by 32,124 votes, while in 2016, his margin rose to 40,263 votes. In 2021, Madhusoodanan won with a majority of 49,780 votes. Now, he is aiming not only to win with an even bigger margin but also to resolve internal issues within the party. The BJP, too, has improved its presence in the constituency in recent elections. Its candidate C K Ramesan got 5,019 votes in 2011. In 2016, the party’s candidate Aniamma secured 15,341 votes, while in 2021, K K Sreedharan secured 11,308 votes.