Payyanur election results 2026: Independent candidate V. Kunhikrishnan wins by 7,487 votes | India News
Payannur, independent candidate V. Kunhikrishnan won the 2026 Kerala Assembly election against CPI(M) candidate TI Madhusudanan by 7,487 votes, while AP Gangadharan contested from the BJP.Payanur in Kannur district has a mix of urban centers and rural villages with a literacy-driven electorate. The number of registered voters in 2021 is about 2.3 lakh.In the 2021 elections, CPI(M) candidate TI Madhusudnan (LDF) defeated the UDF rival by a margin of 3,500 votes. Payanur is traditionally a left-leaning stronghold, though the BJP is trying to expand.