Published Mar 30, 2026 | 8:19 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 30, 2026 | 8:19 AM
namesake candidates
With 890 candidates in the fray — down from 957 in the previous election — Kerala is witnessing tightly contested, multi-cornered battles across constituencies.
Koduvally in Kozhikode has the highest number of contestants at 13, while Manjeshwar, Peravoor, and Thiruvananthapuram each have 11 candidates.
Amid strong challenges from rival parties, candidates now face the most dreaded reality that nobody wants: namesakes in the race. Though legally valid, the noticeable rise in such candidates has sparked questions over voter clarity.
The BJP has alleged that the CPI(M) is strategically fielding namesakes to split votes, pointing to the presence of Rajeev Kumar GS against BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Nemom as a case in point.
P V Anvar during the election campaign
The Beypore contest is becoming unusual due to the presence of several name-sake candidates on the ballot, raising concerns about voter confusion.
TMC state convenor PV Anvar will find four candidates with similar names in the fray. Alongside him are also Anwar Ali Hassan and two others named Anver, all sharing closely resembling names.
Even Minister PA Mohammed Riyas is not exempt, as two candidates with similar names are contesting against him.
In simple terms, voters may see multiple names on the ballot that look almost the same, which can make it harder to clearly identify their preferred candidate.
Beyond this, the political stakes are high.
Anvar, a former Nilambur MLA, is now contesting in Beypore with UDF support against sitting MLA and Minister Riyas. Beypore has traditionally been a stronghold of the Left, with no other front winning here since 1980. In 2021, Riyas won comfortably with a large margin, further strengthening that dominance.
However, this time, Anvar is trying to shift that trend. With a strong campaign against the Pinarayi Vijayan government and active support from Congress and Muslim League workers, he is hoping for a different result.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
High-profile candidates are also contending with namesake candidates on the ballot.
In Dharmadam, where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is seeking re-election, an independent candidate named Vijayan AM has entered the fray, raising the possibility of voter confusion. The UDF has fielded VP Abdul Rasheed, while the BJP has nominated K Ranjith, making it a closely watched contest with an added twist.
Senior leaders are facing similar situations elsewhere.
In Haripad, Congress veteran Ramesh Chennithala is up against a namesake, Ramesh C, complicating the ballot dynamics. Likewise, in Cherthala, KR Rajendraprasad is not only contesting against Agriculture Minister P Prasad but also shares the field with a candidate bearing a similar name.
The trend extends to multiple constituencies.
In Peravoor, KPCC president Sunny Joseph and CPI(M) leader KK Shailaja each face two namesakes, intensifying concerns over voter clarity.
In Kalamassery, Minister P Rajeev faces an independent candidate named Rajeev. Meanwhile, in Vattiyoorkavu, sitting MLA VK Prasanth is challenged by a Prasanth K, while Congress leader K Muralidharan is up against a Muralidharan P.
Even in Ambalappuzha, CPI(M) rebel G Sudhakaran, contesting as a UDF-backed Independent, is facing a similar namesake situation. In Manjeshwar, both K Surendran and IUML’s AKM Ashraf are also dealing with candidates sharing their names.
A Raja, the sitting MLA of the Devikulam constituency. (Facebook)
Devikulam in Idukki is seeing a rare contest- a battle of three ”Rajas.”
The similarity in names has caught voters’ attention and even raised concerns about confusion on the ballot. The LDF has fielded sitting MLA A Raja, who won the last election comfortably. A lawyer, he is known locally for his accessibility and active presence in both Munnar and Adimali.
From the UDF, F Raja, a first-time candidate from Attukad, is being presented as a grassroots leader with experience in local bodies and sectors like cardamom farming and tourism.
For the NDA, S Rajendran, a former CPI(M) leader and three-time MLA, is making a comeback after joining the BJP earlier this year. He is relying on his strong base among plantation and agricultural workers.
With three candidates carrying similar names, parties are focusing heavily on symbols and voter awareness to avoid mix-ups on voting machines.
