In Kerala's Chavara constituency, the RSP's Shibu Baby John emerged victorious in the 2026 assembly elections, defeating independent candidate Dr. Sujith Vijayanpillai by a margin of 18,573 votes. Shibu Baby John secured a total of 74,308 votes, while Dr. Sujith Vijayanpillai received 55,735 votes.
Constituency Overview
Chavara is a general assembly seat covering the coastal regions around Chavara Municipality, along with rural panchayats such as Thekkumbhagom and Clappana. The local economy is largely shaped by fishing communities, coir workers, and beach mineral sands activities.
Previous Election Results
In the 2021 assembly elections, Dr. Sujith Vijayanpillai, contesting as an independent with LDF support, won the seat with 63,282 votes (44.29% vote share). He narrowly defeated RSP candidate Shibu Baby John, who secured 62,186 votes (43.52%), with a slim margin of 1,096 votes. BJP candidate Vivek Gopan polled 14,211 votes, while voter turnout stood at 76.09%.
Key Issues in Chavara
Chavara has been known for its closely fought contests, with narrow margins reflecting its competitive political landscape. The constituency continues to face a range of developmental and environmental challenges. Key issues include coastal erosion and flooding from TS canals, which impact fishing activity and cashew cultivation. Poor rural road connectivity continues to affect coir exports, while youth unemployment persists despite Gulf remittances. Residents also face irregular water supply, overburdened primary health centres, and illegal beach sand mining affecting backwaters. Other concerns include monsoon-related power outages, rising land prices driven by industrial pressures, traffic congestion near market areas, inadequate public transport, and waste management issues.
2026 Candidates
In the 2026 elections, the UDF fielded CR Mahesh, while the BJP nominated VS Jithin Dev. However, the RSP's Shibu Baby John emerged as the winner, defeating the independent candidate backed by the LDF.
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