Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 | CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan breaches Left fortress in Payyannur, wins by over 7,000 votes

Kannur: In a major political upset, CPI(M) expelled leader P V Kunhikrishnan on Monday breached the Left fortress of Payyannur constituency and won the seat by over 7,000 votes in the 2026 Kerala Assembly election.

Contesting as a UDF-backed Independent, Kunhikrishnan defeated CPI(M) sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan by a margin of 7,487 votes.

Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after alleging corruption by Madhusoodanan in Payyannur.

The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), a UDF constituent, was allotted the seat. But it did not field a candidate and instead extended support to Kunhikrishnan.

"I contested to be part of a fight. I received strong support from the people during the campaign. After polling, we were hopeful of victory," Kunhikrishnan said after the result.

He said the verdict reflected the people's desire for the "correct CPI(M)".

Thanking the UDF leadership for backing him, Kunhikrishnan said the united efforts of the opposition alliance had made the victory possible.

"I came out of the CPI(M) after a fight. I want them to take corrective measures. I hope the leadership will learn from this verdict and make corrections," he said.