Kerala Election Results: Congress's Christian Candidate Creates History In Muslim-Dominated Malappuram

Last Updated:May 04, 2026, 14:35 IST

Thavanur Election Results 2026: A key factor behind VS Joy’s win was the strong backing of Indian Union Muslim League, which rallied behind the Christian candidate

Congress leader VS Joy has created history in Kerala’s Thavanur constituency, becoming the first Christian candidate to win Assembly elections from the Muslim-dominated Malappuram district, since AK Antony in 1995.

Joy’s feat stands out when compared with the fact that Antony had won a by-election and was then the sitting Kerala Chief Minister besides being the most important Christian face of the Congress.

Kerala’s complex and often polarised social fabric means that the dominant community in a constituency can significantly influence electoral outcomes. Joy, Congress’s Malappuram district president, does not enjoy a natural community base, with Christians making up barely 1.4% of the electorate. Muslims account for over half the population at 54%, while the remainder are Hindus.

A key factor behind Joy’s win was the strong backing of Congress ally, the Indian Union Muslim League, which rallied behind the Christian candidate. Joy’s working relationship with the IUML in Malappuram made him an acceptable choice for the party, which has a firm support base among Muslims in Kerala. The IUML was particularly keen to defeat sitting MLA and Independent candidate KT Jaleel, a vocal critic of both the party and its leadership.

The contest also carried symbolic weight. In 2006, Jaleel had defeated IUML heavyweight PK Kunhalikutty from the now-defunct Kuttipuram constituency, making the Thavanur battle a matter of prestige for the party.

Interestingly, Joy had earlier been overlooked by the Congress for a bypoll in Nilambur. Despite this, he actively campaigned for the party’s candidate, Aryadan Shoukkath, contributing to his victory.

Even before counting concluded, Jaleel conceded defeat, writing on Facebook: “I accept the people’s verdict. Congratulations to VS Joy. I hold only affection for the people of Thavanur."

Overall in Kerala, the Congress-led UDF is on course to dislodge Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF from power. At 2:15pm, the UDF was leading on 100 seats in the 140-seat Kerala Assembly, while the LDF was leading only in 36.

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