In the 2026 Kerala Assembly election, the Chengannur constituency witnessed a decisive victory for the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Saji Cheriyan, the candidate from the LDF, emerged as the winner by defeating United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Eby Kuriakose. The margin of victory stood at 10,292 votes. Saji Cheriyan polled 75,895 votes, while Eby Kuriakose secured 47,567 votes.
Voter Demographics and Election Details
The Chengannur Assembly constituency had a total of 188,776 registered voters on the electoral rolls for the 2026 election. Among them, 89,942 were male, 98,831 were female, and 3 belonged to the third gender. The constituency is a general seat located in Alappuzha district, Kerala, covering Chengannur Municipality and nearby rural areas including Puliyoor and Veeyapuram panchayats.
Previous Election Performance
The current MLA for Chengannur is Saji Cherian from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who was elected in 2021. In that election, he won with 67,303 votes (44.27 per cent of valid votes), defeating Indian National Congress candidate D. Vijayakumar, who received 46,347 votes (30.48 per cent). The victory margin was 20,956 votes, representing 13.79 per cent of valid votes, with a voter turnout of 70.87 per cent.
Key Issues in Chengannur
Residents of Chengannur face several critical challenges. Frequent flooding from the Pamba River disrupts farming and daily life in this agrarian belt. Poor road connectivity, especially in rural links, hampers transport and trade. Civic woes include erratic water supply, waste management gaps, and overburdened public health facilities amid rising urbanization. Other pressing issues involve youth unemployment, delays in irrigation projects for paddy fields, and power outages during monsoons. As part of the Mavelikara Lok Sabha constituency, Chengannur shares concerns like agricultural input shortages, mirroring broader struggles in rural Kerala.
Exit Polls and Political Context
Exit polls released for the high-stakes Kerala battle indicated a competitive contest, with the incumbent LDF government seeking a third consecutive term amid a strong challenge from the UDF. The final result, however, reaffirmed the LDF's hold on Chengannur.
Election Coverage
Follow the latest election results 2026, live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends, and full coverage for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry elections on Times of India.
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