Kerala Assembly elections 2026: All three candidates sound confident as campaign trail heats up along coastal Kochi

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has officially announced its complete list of candidates for the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly election.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] released its initial list on March 15, 2026, which included 81 candidates. This announcement was made by State Secretary M.V. Govindan shortly after the Election Commission of India (ECI) revealed the election schedule. On the same day, the Communist Party of India (CPI) also released its first list, which consisted of 25 candidates.

The CPI(M) has fielded a formidable candidate list led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his stronghold of Dharmadam. The lineup prominently features a strong ministerial presence, including Cabinet members V. Sivankutty, Veena George, K.N. Balagopal, R. Bindu, P. Rajeeve, M.B. Rajesh, P.A. Mohamed Riyas, V.N. Vasavan, Saji Cherian, and O.R. Kelu, alongside former Ministers K.K. Shailaja, C.N. Raveendranath, A.C. Moideen, and Kadakampally Surendran, as well as CPI(M)-backed Independents K.T. Jaleel and V. Abdul Rahiman.