THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With assembly elections inching closer, Kazhakkoottam in Thiruvananthapuram district is fast emerging as one of the most closely watched constituencies in the state. Senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan has officially declared his candidature for the seat, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest.
Historically a UDF bastion, but an LDF stronghold since 2016, Kazhakkoottam is now witnessing a sharp rise in the BJP’s grassroots presence, paving the way for strong electoral dynamics.
The LDF finds itself on the defensive following the recent local body elections and the controversy surrounding the alleged Sabarimala gold theft.
With the opposition raising allegations regarding the involvement of CPM members and former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, the sitting Kazhakkoottam MLA, the gold theft case has emerged as a key issue influencing local voter sentiment, according to both the BJP and the UDF. Both fronts have launched aggressive campaigns, seeking to capitalise on the controversy and wrest control of the constituency.
The 2025 local body elections signalled a shift in political fortunes in the Kazhakkoottam area. Left insiders admit that the Sabarimala issue may have had an impact on the local body results.
In the ward-level contests covering 28 corporation wards within the constituency, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party, winning 14 seats. The LDF secured 10 seats and the UDF 3, with one independent candidate too emerging victorious.
However, Kadakampally asserted that the local poll results and the Sabarimala controversy will not alter the assembly outcome.
“In the local body elections, we lost a few wards by very narrow margins, which helped the BJP improve its tally. But if you total the votes polled, the LDF secured more votes than the BJP and the UDF combined. Development and public engagement decide assembly elections here.
During the last election too, the Sabarimala women’s entry controversy was on, and even intense political campaigns did not dent the LDF’s position. In fact, our margin increased significantly,” the CPM leader said.
Responding to the BJP’s growth and Muraleedharan’s candidature, Kadakampally said Kazhakkoottam did not receive any tangible benefits during Muraleedharan’s tenure as a Union minister.
“Beyond speeches and visits, people are asking what concrete support Kazhakkoottam received,” the MLA said.
Former legislator M A Vaheed, who represented constituency for 15 years, said the UDF could win the constituency with the right candidate.
“The outcome here depends entirely on who contests. If we field a strong candidate, we can win Kazhakkoottam. The BJP’s growth here is largely due to weaknesses within the Congress. When strong Congress candidates are absent, votes drift. V Muraleedharan, who is not a local resident, did nothing for this constituency during his tenure as a Union minister,” Vaheed said.
Riding high on the confidence generated by its victory in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, the BJP is confident of winning all four assembly constituencies, including Kazhakkoottam, under the corporation’s jurisdiction.
BJP Thiruvananthapuram central district president Karamana Jayan said public sentiment is against the LDF.
“Kazhakkoottam is a sure seat for the BJP this time. We have launched an aggressive campaign and the UDF is nowhere in the picture,” Jayan said.