890 candidates remain in the fray after deadline for withdrawal of nominations

The electoral landscape for 2026 Kerala assembly elections has been finalized with the conclusion of the period for the withdrawal nominations on Thursday.

After the deadline for withdrawal, a total of 890 candidates remained in the fray for the polls from the 140 assembly constituencies in the state scheduled to go to polls on April 9. The highest number of candidates are in the Koduvally poll fray with 13 candidates contesting from there.

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In the 2021 assembly elections, a total of 957 candidates were in the fray across the state. While six candidates contested from Manjeswaram, 11 are in the fray this time. There are 11 candidates each from the Peravoor, Manjeswaram and Thiruvananthapuram Central constituencies this time. There are 10 candidates each for the Nemom, Changanassera, Kalamassery, Manalur and Perambra constituencies. Mananthavady, where only three fronts are contesting, is a constituency with the least candidates.

Many candidates were disappointed after not getting the symbol they expected. UDF’s independent candidate in Vadakara, KK Rema was not allotted the football symbol. The explanation given is that it is the symbol of a political party in Goa. Rema was allotted the television symbol instead. UDF independent candidate G Sudhakaran was allotted a coconut tree symbol in Ambalapuzha seat. LDF’s independent candidate NMR Razak in Palakkad got the jug symbol. LDF independent candidate Ahmed Devarkovil in Kozhikode South did not get the glass symbol, instead he got the bucket as a symbol.

Ahmed Devarkovil had started his campaign by printing posters and using the glass symbol. UDF candidate PV Anwar in Beypore got a gas cylinder as his symbol. In Elathur, LDF candidate AK Saseendran was not allowed the clock symbol. The clock symbol that AK Saseendran contested in the last three elections was given to Ajith Power faction candidate PK Saseendran this time. UDF candidate CP John in Thiruvananthapuram Central was given a ship as his symbol and LDF candidate Sudheer Karamana was given a camera as his symbol. Independent candidate V Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur got an electric post as his symbol. Independent candidate TK Govindan in Taliparamba got a gas cylinder as his symbol.