Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Three-way firefight in Pala
Mani C. Kappan MLA Pala constituency. File. | Photo Credit: H Vibhu It’s not just the anticipation of another head-to-head battle between sitting MLA Mani C. Kappan and Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K. Mani that is fuelling uncertainty in Pala this time. The stakes are much higher. For the outcome of this election could mark the culmination of years of political twists and turns the Assembly constituency has witnessed since the death of K.M. Mani, the Kerala Congress patriarch. Adding to the intrigue, the fight for Pala promises a three-way battle this time, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fielding one of its most aggressive leaders in central Travancore, Shone George. The Pala battleground has been simmering ever since the 2021 Assembly polls. What began as a bitter fight over several development projects between Mr. Kappen and Mr. Mani has evolved into a high-stakes duel for dominance. The KC(M), backed by the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) organisational machinery, is desperate to reclaim its citadel and shake off the shadow. KC(M) stronghold till 2019 Pala, …



