BJP wins Nemom, doubles Kerala tally to 2 seats in landmark result
Synopsis
BJP has done what many Kerala political observers considered structurally improbable — it now holds two Assembly seats in a state that has swung between Left and Congress for over five decades. Rajeev Chandrasekhar's recapture of Nemom, combined with B.B. Gopakumar's Chathanoor win, is not just a number; it is a signal that the BJP's Kerala project is moving from moral victories to actual ones.
Key Takeaways
Rajeev Chandrasekhar wins Nemom , reclaiming the seat from CPI(M) 's V.
Sivankutty on 4 May .
Gopakumar wins Chathanoor , giving BJP its first-ever two-seat presence in the Kerala Assembly.
Nemom was first won by BJP's O.
Rajagopal in 2016 — the party's maiden Kerala Assembly win — before being lost to CPI(M) in 2021 .
Chandrasekhar cited the Sabarimala controversy and an anti-CPI(M) wave as key factors in the result.
Muraleedharan was trailing by 299 votes in Kazhakootam as counting neared completion.
The twin wins signal a shift in BJP's electoral trajectory in Kerala's traditionally bipolar political landscape.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a second seat in Kerala, with Rajeev Chandrasekhar winning from the Nemom constituency, doubling the party's tally in a state long dominated by a Left-Congress binary. The result, declared on 4 May, marks a significant moment in Kerala's political history and is being widely described as a breakthrough for the BJP in its long pursuit of a meaningful foothold in the state.
Key Developments
Chandrasekhar's Nemom win comes alongside B.B. Gopakumar's victory in Chathanoor, giving the BJP its first-ever two-seat presence in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The twin wins end what had been a prolonged drought for the party in translating rising vote share into actual seats.
Nemom holds particular symbolic weight for the BJP. The constituency delivered the party's maiden Assembly win in Kerala in 2016, when veteran leader and former Union Minister O. Rajagopal scripted that historic first. The BJP, however, lost the seat in 2021 to Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and current State Education Minister V. Sivankutty, making Chandrasekhar's reclamation a pointed reversal.
What Chandrasekhar Said
Addressing the media at the BJP state headquarters, Chandrasekhar said the result defied predictions by both the CPI(M) and the Indian National Congress (Congress), which had maintained the BJP would fail to open its account.
Point of View
Upwardly mobile voters. The Sabarimala issue gave the BJP an identity anchor in Kerala that cut across caste lines in ways its national messaging had not previously managed. The real question is whether the party can build a durable organisational structure in Kerala or whether these wins remain personality-driven outliers. If V. Muraleedharan holds Kazhakootam, the conversation changes further — three seats would make the BJP a recognised third force, not just a spoiler.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seats has BJP won in Kerala in this election?
BJP has won two seats — Nemom and Chathanoor — as of 4 May, doubling its previous tally in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. This is the first time the party holds two seats simultaneously in the state.
Who won the Nemom constituency?
Rajeev Chandrasekhar won the Nemom constituency for the BJP, defeating sitting CPI(M) MLA and State Education Minister V. Sivankutty. The win reclaims a seat the BJP had originally won in 2016 but lost in 2021.
What is the significance of the Nemom seat for BJP?
Nemom is historically significant as the site of BJP's maiden Kerala Assembly victory in 2016, when O. Rajagopal won the seat. Recapturing it after the 2021 loss to CPI(M) makes it a powerful symbolic and political milestone for the party.
What role did the Sabarimala controversy play in the Kerala results?
According to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Sabarimala controversy was one of the factors that shaped voter sentiment in favour of the BJP. The issue, which centres on the entry of women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple, has been a politically charged flashpoint in Kerala since 2018.
What is the status of BJP's V. Muraleedharan in Kazhakootam?
V. Muraleedharan, former Union Minister and BJP leader, was trailing by a narrow margin of 299 votes in Kazhakootam as counting entered its final round, according to available updates at the time of reporting.
