In one of the most closely watched contests in the Kerala assembly election, Congress leader V T Balram emerged victorious in Thrithala, defeating CPM leader and minister M B Rajesh in a high-profile political rematch. The result reversed the outcome of the 2021 assembly election, when Rajesh had defeated Balram by a margin of 3,016 votes.
Election Results 2026
When the results were declared on Monday, Balram secured 76,427 votes, while Rajesh polled 68,042 votes. Balram won the constituency with a majority of 8,385 votes, marking a significant comeback for the Congress leader. The constituency gained statewide attention as both leaders are among the prominent political faces in Kerala.
Campaign Focus
During the campaign, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) highlighted the development activities and welfare initiatives undertaken by Rajesh during his tenure as minister and MLA. On the other hand, the United Democratic Front focused its campaign on allegations of inefficiency against the Left Democratic Front government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The opposition campaign also raised several regional issues, including concerns of farmers and stalled projects that were initiated during Balram's tenure as MLA.
Other Candidates
Meanwhile, NDA candidate V Unnikrishnan Master secured 15,051 votes, and the SDPI candidate received 1,746 votes. The result also echoed the trends from the recent local body elections in the assembly constituency, where the UDF won five out of the eight panchayats.
Balram's Third Term
The victory marks Balram's third term as MLA, since he was first elected from the constituency in 2011. This win is seen as a significant boost for the Congress party in Kerala, as it reclaims a seat that had been lost to the CPM in the previous election.
