Kerala Elections: Record 1,252 Candidates Nominated

As nominations for the Kerala Legislative Assembly elections concluded on Monday, a record 1,252 candidates filed 2,117 papers across the state's 140 constituencies, setting the stage for polling on April 9. The surge in participation, up from 1,061 candidates in 2021, reflects heightened competition, with scrutiny scheduled for Tuesday and withdrawals allowed until Thursday. Results are expected on May 4.

The capital district of Thiruvananthapuram saw 136 candidates vying for 14 seats, led by the central constituency with 15 entrants, including high-profile figures like Congress leaders K S Sabarinathan and V S Sivakumar, LDF's Sudheer Karamana, and BJP's Karamana Jayan. Kozhikode topped the state with 141 aspirants, followed closely by Malappuram at 137 and Thiruvananthapuram at 136. Koduvally in Kozhikode emerged as the most contested seat with 18 candidates, while Wayanad had the fewest. Dummy and namesake candidates added layers of strategy, particularly in Vattiyoorkavu, where they could influence outcomes for contenders like Congress's K Muraleedharan and CPM's V K Prasanth.

The process unfolded amid a political row over a clerical error at the Chief Electoral Officer's...