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Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal wins Kottarakkara by just 1012 votes
Politics
Published on 4 May 2026
A minister barely survives after an ally switch
Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal secured a narrow win from Kottarakkara, defeating former CPI(M) leader Aisha Potty by 1,012 votes. Potty, now with Congress, had been seen as part of the UDF’s push across the state. Balagopal’s result keeps him among the few CPI(M) ministers who held their ground despite broader challenges.
- Balagopal won Kottarakkara by 1,012 votes
- Aisha Potty, now with Congress, was his closest rival
- Victory keeps him among the rare CPI(M) ministers to survive UDF gains
- Other CPI(M) ministers reportedly faced tougher battles
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times