In Kerala’s Pathanapuram, INC’s Jyoti Kumar Chamakkala emerged as the winner, defeating Kerala Congress (B)’s KB Ganesh Kumar by 8,310 votes. Jyoti Kumar Chamakkala received 68,275 votes, while KB Ganesh Kumar secured 59,965 votes. The constituency is a general seat covering Pathanapuram town and surrounding rural panchayats, with rubber plantations and forested hill regions shaping its agrarian-based political landscape.In the 2026 assembly elections, the LDF has fielded KB Ganesh Kumar, while the UDF has nominated Jyothikumar Chamakkala, and the BJP has put forward S. Anilkumar, setting up a multi-cornered contest in the constituency.In the 2021 assembly elections, KB Ganesh Kumar of Kerala Congress (B) won the seat with 67,276 votes, accounting for 49.09 per cent of the vote share. He defeated Congress candidate Jyothikumar Chamakkala, who secured 52,940 votes (38.63 per cent), with a margin of 14,336 votes. BJP candidate VS Jithin Dev polled 12,398 votes, while voter turnout stood at 74.36 per cent.Pathanapuram has remained a politically significant constituency, with local issues closely tied to agriculture and plantation livelihoods. The region continues to face recurring challenges such as flooding from the Kallada River, which damages crops and affects rural settlements.Other major concerns include poor rural road connectivity affecting plantation exports, youth unemployment despite Gulf remittances, and irregular water supply along with sanitation gaps. Residents also report overburdened primary health centres, illegal quarrying impacting rivers, and monsoon-related power outages.Additional issues such as rising land prices affecting small farmers, traffic congestion near market areas, and inadequate public transport further strain the local economy.
