2 months ago
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The monolithic triumph of the United Democratic Front (UDF) campaigner successful the Idukki Assembly constituency indicates a important instrumentality of Kerala Congress (M) votes to the UDF fold. Following extended discussions anterior to the Assembly election, the Congress enactment took implicit the Idukki spot from the Kerala Congress (Joseph faction) and fielded Congress person Roy K. Paulose.
Mr. Paulose won by a grounds borderline of 23,822 votes against the LDF campaigner and Kerala Congress (M) person Roshy Augustine. In the last tally, Mr Paulose secured 70,562 votes (54.93%), portion Mr. Augustine secured 46,740 votes (36.39%). NDA campaigner Adv. Pratheesh Prabha trailed with 9,410 votes (7.33%).
According to Congress leaders, Mr. Augustine held the spot from 2001 to 2021 with the enactment of UDF voters. Even successful the 2021 election, a information of the UDF ballot basal reportedly ensured his triumph aft helium moved to the LDF fold. However, successful this 2026 election, those Kerala Congress (M) votes moved decisively backmost to the UDF, resulting successful a landslide decision for Mr. Augustine.
KPCC General Secretary Ibrahimkutty Kallar noted that the effect signals a homecoming for accepted voters. “Original Kerala Congress (M) members are traditionally Congress supporters. Their votes person yet returned to the UDF. We saw this inclination opening successful the section assemblage elections, and it has present been repeated successful the Assembly election,” said Mr Kallar.
Party sources noted that some the UDF and LDF had expected a constrictive borderline of triumph successful Idukki. The record-breaking triumph for the UDF campaigner underscores a large displacement successful the constituency’s voting patterns.
Mr. Augustine antecedently represented the constituency nether the UDF banner successful the 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 elections, earlier switching to the LDF for the 2021 and 2026 polls. He besides served arsenic the Water Resources Minister successful the LDF authorities from 2021 to 2026.
Kerala Congress (M) District President Jose Palathinal admitted that their votes migrated to the UDF this word but attributed it to a broader governmental climate. “This happened owed to a UDF question successful the State. Even LDF votes shifted to the UDF successful Idukki,” Mr Palathinal said. “The Kerala Congress (M) has implicit 15,000 halfway votes successful Idukki. They volition enactment with us, and we volition instrumentality with a grounds borderline successful the adjacent election. Our governmental basal remains strong.” Said Mr Palathinal.
The Idukki constituency mostly comprises settled farmers, with the Idukki Diocese nether the Syro-Malabar Church remaining the astir influential origin successful section politics.
