Kerala Assembly polls 2026 | Roshy Augustine will contest from Idukki constituency, says Jose K. Mani

Ahead of the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) official candidate roll-out for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, its ally the Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)] has officially named Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine as its candidate in the Idukki constituency.

The announcement was made by KC(M) chairperson Jose K. Mani on Thursday during the LDF’s Vikasana Munnetta Yatra in Kattappana.While declaring the candidacy, Mr. Mani highlighted Mr. Augustine’s role in rebuilding the Idukki constituency through various development projects after the catastrophic floods of August 2018.

Mr. Augustine has represented the Idukki constituency since 2001. Though he contested as a United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate until 2021, he successfully defended the seat as an LDF candidate after the KC(M) shifted its alliance. Both the KC(M) and the LDF are banking on a repeat victory citing his long-standing personal rapport with local voters.

Traditionally, the Idukki seat has been a stronghold of the Kerala Congress parties in both fronts.However, with the UDF constituent losing in 2021, the district Congress leadership has demanded that the party take over the seat and field a candidate under the “hand” symbol.

A senior Congress leader in Idukki said that the party expects KC chairperson P.J. Joseph to relinquish the seat to the Congress this term. “The UDF has already decided to field a strong candidate under the Congress symbol to reclaim Idukki from Mr. Augustine. In the recent local body elections, fielding candidates under the Congress symbol led to a landslide victory in the region,” the leader said.

According to party sources, the Congress currently governs nine out of the ten panchayats in the constituency as well as the Kattappana Municipality. Sources said they were expectingthe positive results of the local body polls to carry over into the Assembly election.

While the UDF and the National Democratic Alliance are yet to finalise their candidates for the district, other LDF constituents have made their moves. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has decided to field former MLA K.K. Jayachandran in Udumbanchola and sitting MLA A. Raja in Devikulam. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India has proposed district secretary K. Salim Kumar as the candidate for the Peerumade constituency.

The Aam Aadmi Party has announced Basil John as its candidate in the Thodupuzha assembly constituency.