13 LDF ministers suffer defeats in Kerala Assembly Election 2026

The 2026 Kerala Assembly election delivered a severe blow to the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), with 13 members of the 21-member cabinet suffering defeat.

Several senior ministers and prominent LDF faces failed to withstand the election.

Among the most high-profile defeats was that of Health Minister Veena George, who lost from Aranmula to Congress candidate Abin Varkey Kodiyattu by 18,985 votes. George secured 51,098 votes against Varkey’s 70,083. The defeat came after sustained criticism faced by the Health Department over medical negligence incidents during the final year of the LDF government.

General Education Minister V Sivankutty suffered a narrow but politically significant defeat in Nemom, where BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar emerged victorious. Sivankutty lost by around 3,500 votes in one of the most closely watched triangular contests in the state.

Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, considered one of the stronger performers in the cabinet, was defeated in Ettumanoor by Congress candidate Nattakom Suresh by 19,752 votes.

Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar faced the first electoral defeat of his political career since 2001. Contesting from Pathanapuram, Ganesh Kumar lost to Congress candidate Jyothi Kumar Chamakkala by 8,310 votes, ending a long unbeaten streak in Assembly elections.

Industries Minister P Rajeev lost the high-profile Kalamassery constituency to IUML leader V E Abdul Gafoor by 16,312 votes in a major setback for the CPI(M) in Ernakulam district.

Another major defeat came in Idukki, where Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine of Kerala Congress (M) lost heavily to Congress candidate Roy K Paulose by 23,822 votes.

Sports Minister V Abdurahiman suffered one of the heaviest defeats among cabinet members, losing Tirur to IUML’s Kurukkoli Moideen by 24,137 votes.

Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh was defeated in Thrithala by Congress leader V T Balram by 8,385 votes, while Higher Education Minister R Bindu lost Irinjalakuda to Kerala Congress leader Thomas Unniyadan by 10,212 votes.

Forest Minister O R Kelu was defeated in Mananthavady by Congress candidate Usha Vijayan with a margin of 10,543 votes.

NCP (SP) leader and Excise Minister A K Saseendran lost Elathur to Congress candidate Vidya Balakrishnan by 12,162 votes.

CPI leader and minister J Chinchurani was defeated in Chadayamangalam by Congress candidate M M Naseer by more than 7,400 votes.

Veteran leader and Ports Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran of Congress (Secular) lost to Congress candidate T O Mohanan by over 18,530 votes.