V Sivankutty

Senior CPI(M) leader, minister and sitting MLA V Sivankutty is seeking re-election from Nemom, a high-profile constituency where the BJP is aiming to stage a comeback in the upcoming Assembly polls.

Popularly known as 'Sivankuttyannan' among locals, he remains the Left Democratic Front’s central figure in Nemom and has projected confidence despite the BJP’s aggressive push in the seat. The Kerala Labour and Education minister has asserted that the BJP will not be able to reopen its account in the constituency.

Nemom, which once gave the BJP its only Assembly seat in Kerala in 2016 through O Rajagopal, has since witnessed shifting political equations. While the BJP’s vote share peaked that year, both the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF made gains in 2021, reflecting a more competitive triangular contest.

In 2021, Sivankutty delivered a symbolic victory for the LDF by defeating BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan by over 4,000 votes, fulfilling Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s assertion that the Left would shut down the BJP’s lone foothold in the Assembly. He secured 55,837 votes, improving on his 2016 performance, when he had polled 59,142 votes but lost to Rajagopal, who won with 67,813 votes.

Sivankutty has credited his victory and renewed confidence to development initiatives undertaken by the LDF government in both the state and the constituency. In a recent social media post, he also challenged BJP leader and candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar to an open debate.

Despite reported health concerns, Sivankutty has maintained an active campaign, describing Nemom as a constituency he has “double-locked” against rivals. With multiple parties investing heavily in the seat, Nemom is once again shaping up to be one of Kerala’s most closely watched electoral battles.

Candidate Info: V Sivankutty is the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) candidate contesting from Nemom (General) Assembly constituency for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. This male candidate is 71 years of age, according to the election affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India.