The result remained uncertain until the last phase of counting. Even in the sixteenth round, Kadakampally Surendran held a slim lead of 171 votes. However, the final counting centres, identified as strongholds of the Bharatiya Janata Party, shifted the outcome decisively in favour of Muraleedharan, securing him a tightly fought victory.
This win marks a significant reversal from the 2016 Kerala Assembly elections, in which Muraleedharan lost to Surendran by 7,347 votes. In the previous election cycle, Surendran had further strengthened his position with a commanding margin of 23,387 votes, making Kazhakoottam a stronghold of the Left Democratic Front. The latest result reflects a substantial political shift in the constituency, breaking that long-standing dominance.
Muraleedharan, who had also faced defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram, managed this time to draw support from regions traditionally aligned with the Left, thereby weakening the core electoral base of the Left Democratic Front. Meanwhile, United Democratic Front candidate T. Saratchandran Prasad also secured votes from several segments generally considered supportive of Left politics, yet the alliance finished third in Kazhakoottam for the third consecutive election.
Following his 2016 defeat, Muraleedharan undertook sustained grassroots mobilisation in the constituency. He remained actively engaged in local political work over the past decade, focusing his campaign efforts in areas such as Attipra, Kulathoor, and Mankuzhy, which are historically strong Left-supporting regions. The constituency also has a significant Ezhava community vote base, which traditionally supported the Left; however, in this election, a noticeable shift in support was observed. The party’s minority wing also contributed to expanding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s vote share.
During his tenure as Minister of State for External Affairs from 2019 to 2024, Muraleedharan played a key role in facilitating the repatriation of mortal remains of Indian citizens from Kerala who had died abroad. This initiative is believed to have positively influenced voter sentiment in his favour.
He also conducted multiple long-distance public outreach marches and direct engagement programmes to strengthen voter connect over the years. Additionally, he raised the Sabarimala temple gold loss case during his campaign, making it a key political issue.
Muraleedharan, originally from Kozhikode, began his political journey through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He later held significant organisational responsibilities within the Bharatiya Janata Party and its affiliated bodies. Despite multiple electoral defeats in earlier contests, including in Kozhikode and the 2016 Assembly elections, he eventually secured a national breakthrough in 2018 with his entry into the Rajya Sabha. In 2019, he was appointed Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs.
His political trajectory is widely recognised within the party for organisational strength and long-standing persistence in Kerala politics.
The outcome in Kazhakoottam is being viewed as a major political shift, underscoring changing electoral dynamics in a constituency long considered a stronghold of the Left.
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