Counting is underway in the Vypen constituency of Kerala for the 2026 Assembly Election, with Congress candidate Tony Chammany currently holding a commanding lead. As of the latest updates, Chammany has secured 64,296 votes, while his closest rival, Adv. M. B. Shyni of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), trails with 49,374 votes, resulting in a margin of 14,922 votes. The 56-year-old graduate is contesting from a general category seat and appears to be consolidating support as rounds progress.
Key Candidates in the Fray
Six candidates are contesting from Vypen: Tony Chammany (Congress), Mohandas (Aam Aadmi Party), Adv. M. B. Shyni (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), Anitha Thomas (Twenty 20 Party), T. C. Subrahmanyan (Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Red Star), and Sadasivan (Independent). The constituency falls under the Ernakulam Lok Sabha segment and recorded a turnout of 75.89% in the 2021 election.
Historical Context
In the 2021 Assembly Election, K.n. Unnikrishnan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) won Vypen with a margin of 8,201 votes, defeating Congress candidate Deepak Joy. Earlier, in 2016, S. Sharma of the CPM had secured the seat with a margin of 19,353 votes. The current trends suggest a potential shift in voter preference, with Chammany leading significantly.
State-Wide Trends
Across Kerala's 140 assembly seats, Congress is emerging as the front-runner, having won 23 seats and leading in 38 more for a tally of 61, which is 10 seats short of the majority mark of 71. The CPM has won 11 seats and is leading in 14, totaling 25 seats. The United Democratic Front (UDF) holds leads in 55 seats, while the Left Democratic Front (LDF) leads in 43. Counting continues, and the final picture is expected to emerge by the end of the day.
Other Key Constituencies
In nearby Thripunithura, Congress candidate Deepak Joy is leading with 66,268 votes, holding a margin of 16,914 over CPM's K N Unnikrishnan. In Paravur, Congress's Adv. V.D. Satheesan leads by 11,376 votes. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, the BJP is leading in 209 seats, well past the majority mark of 148, while the TMC trails with leads in 70 seats. In Assam, the NDA is leading in 99 seats, crossing the majority threshold of 64.
What to Watch
The final result in Vypen will be declared once all rounds of counting are completed. The margin of victory will be closely compared to the 2021 benchmark of 8,201 votes. As trends solidify, Chammany's lead appears robust, but early leads can shift, so caution is advised until the official declaration.
