1980 Kerala Legislative Assembly election

For Lok Sabha election, see 1980 Indian general election in Kerala.

1980 Kerala state assembly election

3 and 5 January 1980
All 140 seats in the Kerala Legislative Assembly 71 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	72.23% ( 6.96%)
First party Second party   Leader E. K. Nayanar K. Karunakaran Party CPI(M) INC Alliance LDF UDF Leader's seat Malampuzha Mala Last election 17 38 Seats won 35 17 Seat change 18 21
Kerala, India Kerala, one of the states in South India, has an electorate of more than 21 million people.
Alliance wise structure
Chief Minister before election President's Rule Elected Chief Minister E. K. Nayanar CPI(M)

Elections were held on 1980 January 3 and 5 to elect members to the sixth Niyamasabha. This election saw the formation of two pre-poll alliances; LDF and UDF, most of whose constituent parties were part of the erstwhile United Front. CPI(M)-led LDF to win the election, after winning 98 seats altogether. E. K. Nayanar was sworn in as the Chief Minister on 26 March 1980.

History

The Congress party had split into two splinter parties, the INC (I) and the INC (U). Kerala Congress too underwent a split, with the formation of KC (M) and the KC (J). The ML (O) assumed the name AIML. The United Front which won the 1977 election, had dissolved in 1979 which lead to the creation of two long-running alliance formula in the state:

• The United Democratic Front (UDF) consisting of the INC (I), the IUML, the KC (J), the PSP, the NDP, and the SRP
• The Left Democratic Front (LDF) comprising, the CPM, the CPI, the INC (U), the KC (M), the KC (PG), the AIML, and the RSP

Results

Party Wise Results

Party Wise Results

Party	Seats	Alliance
Communist Party of Indian (Marxist) (CPI(M))	35	Left Democratic Front
Indian National Congress (U) (INC(U))	21
Communist Party of India (CPI)	17
Kerala Congress (M) (KCM)	8
Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)	6
All India Muslim League (AIMUL)	5
Janata Party (JNP)	5
Kerala Congress (Pillai Group) (KCP)	1
Indian National Congress (I) (INC (I))	17	United Democratic Front
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)	14
Kerala Congress (J) (KEC)	6
National Democratic Party (NDP)	3
Praja Socialist Party (PSP)	1
Independent (IND)	1	N/A
Total	140

Constituency Wise Results

Constituency		Winner					Runner Up					Margin	%
#	Name	Candidate	Party		Votes	%	Candidate	Party		Votes	%
1	Manjeswar	Dr. A. Subba Rao		CPI	20,816	39.34	Chorkalam Abdullah		IUML	20,660	39.04	156	0.30
2	Kasaragod	C. T. Ahamedali		IUML	30,793	59.91	Gorvacis Areeckal		KEC	14,113	27.46	16,680	32.45
3	Udma	K. Purushothaman		CPI(M)	31,948	46.25	N. K. Balakrishnan		IND	26,928	38.99	5,020	7.26
4	Hosdrug (SC)	K. T. Kumaran		CPI	42,136	56.81	T. Kumaran Master		INC(I)	32,031	43.19	10,105	13.62
5	Trikkarpur	P. Karunakaran		CPI(M)	47,643	59.10	K. P. Kunhikannan		INC(I)	32,026	39.73	15,617	19.37
6	Irikkur	Ram Chandran Kacannoppally		INC(U)	37,440	53.38	Dr. K. C. Joseph		KC(J)	31,992	45.61	5,448	7.77
7	Payyannur	N. Subrammaniya Shenoy		CPI(M)	46,351	61.93	T. V. Koran		IND	26,939	35.99	19,412	25.94
8	Taliparamba	C. P. Moossan Kutty		CPI(M)	47,420	59.27	Chandren T. P.		IND	30,829	38.53	16,591	20.74
9	Azhicode	P. Devooty		CPI(M)	38,985	60.96	T. V. Narayanan		INC(I)	24,502	38.31	14,483	22.65
10	Cannanore	P. Bhaskaran		JP	35,565	49.84	O. Bharathan		CPI(M)	35,216	49.35	349	0.49
11	Edakkad	P. P. V. Moosa		AIML	39,843	56.37	K. Sudhakaran		JP	29,886	42.28	9,957	14.09
12	Tellicherry	M. V. Rajagopalan		CPI(M)	42,673	61.71	V. P. Marakikar		INC(I)	25,971	37.56	16,702	24.15
13	Peringalam	A. K. Saseendran		INC(U)	38,049	53.55	K. C. Marar		JP	32,159	45.26	5,890	8.29
14	Kuthuparamba	N. V. Raghavan		CPI(M)	44,207	65.57	R. Karunakaran		IND	22,556	33.46	21,651	32.11
15	Peravoor	K. P. Noorudeen		INC(U)	45,486	59.18	C. M. Karunakaran Nambiar		INC(I)	31,370	40.82	14,116	18.36
16	North Wynad (ST)	M. V. Rajan Master		INC(I)	33,723	52.97	A. Gopalan		CPI(M)	29,940	47.03	3,783	5.94
17	Badagara	K. Chandra Sekharan		JP	41,684	50.83	P. V. Kunhikannan		CPI(M)	40,322	49.17	1,362	1.66
18	Nadapuram	K. T. Kanaran		CPI	42,680	53.60	Dr. K. G. Adiyedi		INC(I)	36,940	46.40	5,740	7.20
19	Meppayur	A. V. Abdulurahiman Haji		AIML	43,851	54.01	P. K. K. Bava		IUML	36,044	44.39	7,807	9.62
20	Quilandy	Manimangalath Kuttialy		INC(I)	42,171	51.74	P. K. Sankaran		CPI(M)	37,143	45.57	5,028	6.17
21	Perambra	V. V. Dakshinamoorthy		CPI(M)	44,695	55.92	K. A. Devassia		KC(J)	35,227	44.08	9,468	11.84
22	Balusseri	A. C. Shanmukhadas		INC(U)	39,664	56.36	P. K. Sankaran Kutty		JP	30,716	43.64	8,948	12.72
23	Koduvally	P. V. Mohammed		IUML	41,134	53.60	K. Moossakutty		CPI(M)	35,608	46.40	5,526	7.20
24	Calicut- I	N. Chandrasekhara Kurup		CPI(M)	41,796	52.20	K. T. Raghavan		INC(I)	38,011	47.47	3,785	4.73
25	Calicut- II	P. M. Abubackar		AIML	40,160	53.48	C. K. Nanu		JP	34,931	46.52	5,229	6.96
26	Beypore	N. P. Moideen		INC(U)	43,360	54.30	N. K. Abdulla Koya		IUML	36,052	45.15	7,308	9.15
27	Kunnamangalam (SC)	K. P. Raman		AIML	35,234	53.06	K. Gopalan		INC(I)	31,173	46.94	4,061	6.12
28	Thiruvambadi	Cryiac John		INC(U)	35,623	53.89	N. M. Hussain		IUML	29,953	45.31	5,670	8.58
29	Kalpetta	M. Kamalam		JP	37,442	59.44	K. Abdul Khader		RSP	24,403	38.74	13,039	20.70
30	Sultan's Battery	K. K. Ramachandran Master		INC(I)	36,974	54.97	P. T. Jose		KEC	29,580	43.97	7,394	11.00
31	Wandoor (SC)	M. A. Kuttappan		INC(I)	35,187	51.57	P. Suresh		INC(U)	29,298	42.94	5,889	8.63
32	Nilambur	C. Haridas		INC(U)	41,744	53.51	T. K. Hamsa		INC(I)	35,321	45.28	6,423	8.23
33	Manjeri	C. H. Mohamed Koya		IUML	43,209	65.39	Aboobacker Kunikkal		AIML	21,905	33.15	21,304	32.24
34	Malappuram	U. A. Beeran		IUML	36,602	67.94	Muthukoya Thangal		AIML	17,272	32.06	19,330	35.88
35	Kondotty	P. Seethi Haji		IUML	41,848	60.00	M. C. Mohamed		AIML	26,650	38.21	15,198	21.79
36	Tirurangadi	Avukkaderkutty Maha		IUML	37,775	57.65	K. Koyakunhi Naha		CPI	25,816	39.40	11,959	18.25
37	Tanur	E. Ahmmed		IUML	38,998	71.87	U. K. Bhasy		INC(U)	15,265	28.13	23,733	43.74
38	Tirur	P. T. Kunhi Mohammed		IUML	38,469	51.52	Mohammed S/O Abdu		AIML	36,201	48.48	2,268	3.04
39	Ponnani	K. Sreedharan		CPI(M)	38,791	50.82	P. T. Kohanakrishnan		INC(I)	36,475	47.79	2,316	3.03
40	Kuttippuram	Korambayil Ahammed Haji		IUML	33,863	68.32	P. V. S. Musthafa Thangal		AIML	15,703	31.68	18,160	36.64
41	Mankada	K. P. Majeed		IUML	35,623	52.79	Abu Haji K.		AIML	31,861	47.21	3,762	5.58
42	Perinthalmanna	Nalakath Sooppy		IUML	37,203	52.78	Paloli Mohammed Kutty		CPI(M)	33,289	47.22	3,914	5.56
43	Thrithala (SC)	M. P. Thami		INC(I)	30,214	50.52	N. Subbayyan		INC(U)	29,595	49.48	619	1.04
44	Pattambi	M. P. Gangadharan		INC(I)	31,570	52.42	E. P. Gopalan		CPI	28,119	46.69	3,451	5.73
45	Ottapalam	V. C. Kabeer		INC(U)	23,683	50.18	P. R. Nambiar		JP	20,499	43.43	3,184	6.75
46	Sreekrishnapuram	K. Sankaranarayanan		INC(I)	33,532	49.08	M. P. Kunju		CPI(M)	33,114	48.46	418	0.62
47	Mannarkkad	A. P. Hamza		IUML	30,091	49.58	A. N. Yusuf		CPI	28,703	47.30	1,388	2.28
48	Malampuzha	E. K. Nayanar		CPI(M)	35,333	61.62	K. Rajan		JP	19,776	34.49	15,557	27.13
49	Palghat	C. M. Sundaram		IND	35,902	57.09	K. A. Chandran		INC(U)	25,695	40.86	10,207	16.23
50	Chittur	K. Krishnankutty		JP	23,882	38.61	P. Sankar		CPI	23,578	38.12	304	0.49
51	Kollengode	C. Vasudeva Menon		CPI(M)	36,688	50.42	A. Sunna Sahib		INC(I)	34,156	46.94	2,532	3.48
52	Coyalmannam (SC)	T. K. Arumughan		CPI(M)	34,530	54.08	V. Mani		INC(I)	28,210	44.19	6,320	9.89
53	Alathur	C. T. Krishnan		CPI(M)	36,244	54.13	K. P. Kaladharan		IND	30,262	45.19	5,982	8.94
54	Chelakara (SC)	K. K. Balakrishnan		INC(I)	32,024	50.41	K. S. Sankaran		CPI(M)	30,899	48.64	1,125	1.77
55	Wadakkancherry	K. S. Narayanan Namboodri		INC(I)	34,658	50.82	A. Padmanabhan		CPI(M)	32,391	47.50	2,267	3.32
56	Kunnamkulam	K. P. Viswanathan		INC(U)	33,127	55.89	N. Madhavan		IND	16,421	27.71	16,706	28.18
57	Cherpu	K. P. Prabhakaran		CPI	35,973	54.49	Therambil Ramakrishnan		IND	29,253	44.31	6,720	10.18
58	Trichur	M. K. Kannan		CPI(M)	32,296	51.36	K. J. George		JP	28,872	45.91	3,424	5.45
59	Ollur	Raghavan Poshakadavil		INC(I)	32,302	49.31	Francis P. R.		INC(U)	32,277	49.27	25	0.04
60	Kodakara	Lonappan Nambadan		KEC	29,023	44.31	V. L. Lonappan		INC(I)	24,503	37.41	4,520	6.90
61	Chalakudi	P. K. Ittoop		KEC	30,786	48.03	P. A. Thomas		INC(I)	30,657	47.83	129	0.20
62	Mala	K. Karunakaran		INC(I)	35,964	51.78	Paul Kokkat		CPI(M)	32,562	46.88	3,402	4.90
63	Irinjalakuda	Joes Thanickal		INC(U)	36,086	55.07	A. P. George		JP	28,396	43.33	7,690	11.74
64	Manalur	V. M. Sudheeran		INC(U)	35,551	56.28	N. I. Devassikutty		INC(I)	27,619	43.72	7,932	12.56
65	Guruvayoor	B. V. Seethi Thangal		IUML	30,176	50.96	C. K. Kumaran		CPI(M)	28,424	48.00	1,752	2.96
66	Nattika	P. K. Gopalakrishnan		CPI	31,463	52.85	K. Moidu		JP	26,900	45.18	4,563	7.67
67	Kodungallur	V. K. Rajan		CPI	35,567	51.67	Kollickatharan Ravi		IND	33,047	48.01	2,520	3.66
68	Ankamali	A. P. Kurrian		CPI(M)	40,565	49.89	P. J. Joy		JP	38,759	47.66	1,806	2.23
69	Vadakkekara	T. K. Abdu		CPI(M)	38,387	59.03	P. N. Sukumaran Nair		JP	26,640	40.97	11,747	18.06
70	Parur	A. C. Jose		INC(U)	31,246	51.34	K. P. George		IND	26,761	43.97	4,485	7.37
71	Narakal (SC)	M. K. Krishnan		CPI(M)	34,932	51.65	T. K. C. Vaduthala		IND	31,959	47.25	2,973	4.40
72	Ernakulam	A. L. Jacob		INC(I)	36,668	49.86	K. N. Ravindranath		CPI(M)	36,091	49.07	577	0.79
73	Mattancherry	M. J. Zakaria		AIML	26,543	50.30	A. S. Abdulrahiman		JP	24,757	46.92	1,786	3.38
74	Palluruthy	T. P. Peethambaran Master		INC(U)	40,879	53.07	T. T. Mathew		KC(J)	33,663	43.70	7,216	9.37
75	Thrippunithura	T. K. Ramakrishnan		CPI(M)	44,813	55.91	H. N. Velayudhan Nair		IND	34,720	43.32	10,093	12.59
76	Alwaye	K. Mohammed Ali		INC(U)	46,291	52.38	T. H. Mustaffa		INC(I)	39,962	45.22	6,329	7.16
77	Perumbavoor	P. R. Sivan		CPI(M)	40,525	53.53	Kochunny Master A. A.		INC(I)	33,455	44.19	7,070	9.34
78	Kunnathunad	P. P. Esthose		CPI(M)	36,460	49.43	P. P. Thankachan		INC(I)	36,027	48.85	433	0.58
79	Piravom	P. C. Chaeko		INC(U)	38,659	52.14	C. Paulose		IND	35,408	47.75	3,251	4.39
80	Muvattupuzha	V. Joseph		KC(J)	37,044	51.63	Johny Nelloor Varkey		KEC	33,523	46.72	3,521	4.91
81	Kothamangalam	T. M. Jacob		KC(J)	40,356	54.74	M. V. Mani		KEC	32,843	44.55	7,513	10.19
82	Thodupuzha	P. J. Joseph		KC(J)	43,410	55.80	Kusuman Joseph		INC(U)	33,093	42.54	10,317	13.26
83	Devicolam (SC)	G. Varadan		CPI(M)	36,346	62.24	P. A. Prakash		IND	19,951	34.17	16,395	28.07
84	Idukki	Jose Kuttyani		INC(I)	33,367	52.40	V. T. Sebastian		KEC	28,838	45.29	4,529	7.11
85	Udumbanchola	Thomas Joseph		KEC	38,417	51.50	Pachady Sreedaran		IND	33,030	44.28	5,387	7.22
86	Peermade	C. A. Kurian		CPI	34,795	51.55	Michaal Manarkattu		INC(I)	31,444	46.58	3,351	4.97
87	Kanjirappally	Thomas Kallampally		KEC	33,172	50.14	Joseph Varanam		KC(J)	31,167	47.10	2,005	3.04
88	Vazhoor	M. K. Joseph		KEC	27,819	46.83	P. S. John		INC(I)	16,377	27.57	11,442	19.26
89	Changanacherry	C. P. Thomas		KEC	37,041	51.84	K. J. Chacko		KC(J)	34,408	48.16	2,633	3.68
90	Kottayam	K. M. Abraham		CPI(M)	37,588	56.08	P. B. R. Pillai		JP	25,624	38.23	11,964	17.85
91	Ettumanoor	Vaikom Viswan		CPI(M)	34,239	49.27	George Joseph Podipara		IND	33,865	48.73	374	0.54
92	Puthuppally	Oommen Chandy		INC(U)	38,612	59.21	M. R. G. Panicker		IND	24,953	38.26	13,659	20.95
93	Poonjar	P. C. George		KC(J)	25,806	43.70	V. J. Joseph		KEC	24,658	41.76	1,148	1.94
94	Palai	K. N. Mani		KEC	38,739	52.71	M. M. Jacob		INC(I)	34,173	46.50	4,566	6.21
95	Kaduthuruthy	O. Lukose		KEC	32,863	49.02	E. J. Lukose		KC(J)	31,577	47.10	1,286	1.92
96	Vaikom (SC)	M. K. Kesavan		CPI	40,590	58.78	(Edavattom) Gopalan		IND	28,098	40.69	12,492	18.09
97	Aroor	K. R. Gouri		CPI(M)	44,219	57.32	T. K. Sadanandan Kunjan		INC(I)	31,855	41.29	12,364	16.03
98	Sherthalai	P. S. Sreenivasan		CPI	38,613	57.11	Joseph Mathan		JP	27,200	40.23	11,413	16.88
99	Mararikulam	A. V. Thamarakshan		RSP	45,714	55.50	Raju Gangadharan		IND	35,885	43.56	9,829	11.94
100	Alleppey	P. K. Vasudevan Nair		CPI	34,786	49.92	K. P. Ramchandran Nair		IND	33,783	48.48	1,003	1.44
101	Ambalapuzha	P. K. Chandranandan		CPI(M)	36,009	52.27	V. Dinakaran		IND	32,884	47.73	3,125	4.54
102	Kuttanad	Ooman Mathew		KC(J)	37,346	52.77	K. P. Joseph		CPI(M)	33,256	46.99	4,090	5.78
103	Haripad	C. B. Warrier		CPI(M)	41,514	51.03	G. P. Mangalathu Madem		INC(I)	38,105	46.84	3,409	4.19
104	Kayamkulam	Thachedy Prabhakaran		INC(U)	41,320	58.17	Thundathil Kunjukrishna Pillai		INC(I)	29,718	41.83	11,602	16.34
105	Thiruvalla	P. C. Thomas		JP	29,485	50.52	Varghese Karippavil		KC(B)	28,285	48.47	1,200	2.05
106	Kallooppara	K. A. Mathew		KC(J)	29,399	52.05	C. A. Mathew		KEC	24,261	42.95	5,138	9.10
107	Aranmula	K. K. Sreenivasan		INC(I)	30,227	50.84	Thoppil Ravi		INC(U)	27,121	45.62	3,106	5.22
108	Chengannur	K. R. Saraswathi Amma		IND	35,910	52.02	Thomas Kuthiravattom		KEC	31,610	45.79	4,300	6.23
109	Mavelikara	S. Govinda Kurup		CPI(M)	37,990	52.99	N. Bhaskaran Nair		IND	32,063	44.72	5,927	8.27
110	Pandalam (SC)	P. K. Velayudhan		INC(U)	39,890	52.76	P. S. Rajan		INC(I)	32,376	42.82	7,514	9.94
111	Ranni	M. C. Cherian		INC(U)	31,243	49.54	Sunny Panavelil		INC(I)	30,097	47.72	1,146	1.82
112	Pathanamthitta	K. K. Nair		IND	27,549	40.19	Eapan Varughese		KC(J)	25,566	37.30	1,983	2.89
113	Konni	V. S. Chandra Sekhar Pillai		CPI(M)	33,107	50.38	G. Gopinadhan Nair		INC(U)	31,054	47.25	2,053	3.13
114	Pathanapuram	E. K. Pillai		CPI	37,527	55.09	Bava Sahib		IND	28,328	41.59	9,199	13.50
115	Punaloor	P. K. Sreenivasan		CPI	36,133	50.38	Sam Oommen Oommen		KC(J)	33,920	47.29	2,213	3.09
116	Chadayamangalam	E. Chandrasekharan Nair		CPI	33,991	58.59	Valiyaveedan Md. Kunju		IUML	23,107	39.83	10,884	18.76
117	Kottarakara	R. Balakrishna Pillai		KC(B)	48,473	74.16	Thevannoor Sreedharan Nair		IND	11,762	18.00	36,711	56.16
118	Neduvathur (SC)	C. K. Thankappan		CPI(M)	35,041	54.04	M. R. Kottara		INC(I)	28,784	44.39	6,257	9.65
119	Adoor	C. P. Karunakaran Pillai		CPI(M)	31,639	51.11	Thennala Balakrishna Pillai		INC(I)	28,326	45.76	3,313	5.35
120	Kunnathur (SC)	Kallada Narayanan		RSP	40,582	55.75	Kottakkuzhy Sukumaran		JP	29,686	40.78	10,896	14.97
121	Karunagapally	B. M. Sheriff		CPI	35,831	50.74	T. V. Vijayarajan		IND	33,842	47.92	1,989	2.82
122	Chavara	Baby John		RSP	41,448	59.98	C. Rajendran		JP	24,835	35.94	16,613	24.04
123	Kundara	V. V. Joseph		CPI(M)	39,690	58.13	V. Sankara Narayana Pillai		INC(I)	27,319	40.01	12,371	18.12
124	Quilon	K. Sivadasan		RSP	35,749	50.91	C. V. Padmarajan		INC(I)	33,335	47.47	2,414	3.44
125	Eravipuram	R. S. Unni		RSP	45,281	57.65	A. Yunus Kunju		IUML	31,712	40.37	13,569	17.28
126	Chathanoor	J. Chitharanjan		CPI	34,037	50.15	Varinjam Vasu Pillai		JP	28,670	42.24	5,367	7.91
127	Varkala	Varkala Radhakrishan		CPI(M)	34,148	55.45	G. Karthikeyan		INC(I)	26,887	43.66	7,261	11.79
128	Attingal	Vakkom Purushothaman		INC(U)	35,634	59.14	Vakkom Devarajan		IND	22,561	37.45	13,073	21.69
129	Kilimanoor (SC)	Bhargavi Thankappan		CPI	36,513	68.88	V. K. Ram		JP	14,761	27.85	21,752	41.03
130	Vamanapuram	Koliyakode N. Krishnan Nair		CPI(M)	38,333	57.18	A. Nafeesath Beevi		INC(I)	26,273	39.19	12,060	17.99
131	Ariyanad	K. Pankajakshan		RSP	29,108	50.70	Charupara Ravi		JP	27,822	48.46	1,286	2.24
132	Nedumangad	K. V. Surendranath		CPI	33,919	52.24	P. Chandrasekharan Nair		IND	27,619	42.53	6,300	9.71
133	Kazhakuttam	N. M. Hassan		INC(U)	35,739	50.89	Lakshmanen Vaidyan		INC(I)	32,939	46.90	2,800	3.99
134	Trivandrum North	K. Anirudhan		CPI(M)	36,460	50.29	R. Sundaresan Nair		JP	34,200	47.17	2,260	3.12
135	Trivandrum West	P. A. Mohemmed Kannu		IUML	31,490	49.27	K. C. Vamadevan		RSP	26,231	41.04	5,259	8.23
136	Trivandrum East	C. S. Neelakantan Nair		IND	33,519	49.49	K. Sankaranarayana Pillai		INC(U)	32,734	48.33	785	1.16
137	Nemom	E. Ramesan Nair		INC(I)	37,589	54.59	S. Varaderajan Nair		INC(U)	30,312	44.02	7,277	10.57
138	Kovalam	M. R. Raghu Chandra Bal		INC(I)	40,047	54.53	V. Thankayyan		CPI	32,526	44.29	7,521	10.24
139	Neyyattinkara	R. Sundaresan Nair		IND	39,975	56.52	R. Parameswaran Pillai		CPI(M)	30,331	42.89	9,644	13.63
140	Parassala	N. Sundaran Nadar		INC(I)	40,680	60.90	M. Sathynesan		CPI(M)	26,121	39.10	14,559	21.80

Aftermath

Formation of Ministry

On 25 January 1980, a 17 member ministry headed by E.K. Nayanar of CPI(M) was sworn in, revoking President's rule.

Withdrawal of support

Despite the thumping majority for the LDF in the Assembly, the Nayanar government’s majority depended on the support of 21 members of the Congress (U), led by A. K. Antony, as well as eight members of the Mani faction of the Kerala Congress. Both of these factions had trouble with the CPI (M) style of rule, and withdrew their support on 16 October 1981, leading to Nayanar’s resignation 4 days later.

Formation of new government

Following two months of uncertainty, Congress (S) decided to support Congress (Indira), and an eight-member ministry was formed on 28 December 1981, with K. Karunakaran, of Indira-Congress, at the helm. It was the twelfth ministry in Kerala. However Karunakaran couldn’t build a comfortable majority either, as troubles began to rise as the Congress (S) split into two factions, 16 members joining the Antony group and six remaining as members of the Chacko group, along with a split in Janata Party.

With these shifts, the Assembly was divided exactly down the middle, with the ruling front of the Congress and the CPI (M)-led Opposition both having 70 MLAs each. The only vote that shifted the balance was Speaker A. C. Jose’s. His casting vote, exercised eight times, was the only thing that kept the Karunakaran government in power for nearly three months.

The deadlock finally came to an end when Lonappan Nambadan, a founder-member of the Kerala Congress – then allied with the ruling United Democratic Front – voted against the government. On 17 March 1982, the Karunakaran government resigned and the Assembly was dissolved. The state came under President’s rule for the eighth time, forcing an interim election in 1982.

External links

• Kerala Assembly Election DATABASE