Cherthala election results 2026: LDF’s P. Prasad defeats UDF’s K.R. Rajendra Prasad by 14,489 votes

NEW DELHI: In Kerala’s Cherthala, LDF’s P.Prasad emerged as the winner, defeating UDF's K.R Rajendra Prasad by 14,489 votes.There were a total of 204870 registered voters on the electoral rolls for the 2026 Assembly election in Cherthala Assembly constituency, of whom 99330 were male, 105539 female and 1 belonged to the third gender.Exit polls released for the high-stakes Kerala battle indicate a competitive contest, with the incumbent LDF government seeking a third consecutive term amid a strong challenge from the UDF.Cherthala Assembly constituency, numbered 103, lies in Alappuzha district of Kerala under the Alappuzha parliamentary constituency. Established in 1957 and adjusted in the 2008 delimitation, it spans Cherthala Municipality, panchayats like Muhamma, Kanjikuzhi, and coastal stretches along the Vembanad Lake, with around 210,000 electors. This general seat pulses with fishing, coir making, paddy fields, salt pans, tourism houseboats, and migrant labor, blending backwater economy with rural resilience amid canals and lagoons.CPI(M) of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) dominates consistently, with P. Prasad as current MLA and Agriculture Minister since 2016. In 2021, he secured 78,234 votes (52.41 per cent), defeating Congress's K.C. Venugopal ally S. Sharma (57,772 votes) by 20,462 votes (13.70 per cent) at 77.89 per cent turnout — widening his 2016 margin of 11,903. LDF's fisher-labor base crushes UDF challenges and BJP's 7-9 per cent share.Key issues encompass coastal erosion swallowing farmlands, backwater flooding worsened by poor drainage, fish depletion from pollution and overfishing, coir worker distress amid mechanization, unemployment spurring migration, waste choking waterways, road-waterlogging chaos, and demands for harbor upgrades, mangrove revival, seafood clusters, and climate-adaptive farming. These livelihood crises reinforce LDF's stronghold in this iconic waterside battleground.