Made up mostly of settler farmers, the Idukki Assembly constituency had stood with the UDF since its creation in 1977, except on one occasion. There are 90,573 male and 92,312 female voters here, with a combined increase of 12,901 new voters.
The constituency consists of areas of newly-created Kattappana municipality and the grama panchayats of Arakkulam, Kanjikuzhy, Kudayathur, Vazhathoppe, Kamakshy, Kanchiyar, Konnathady, Mariyapuram, and Vathikudy.
For the last three consecutive terms Roshy Augustine of Kerala Congress (M) represented the constituency. However, the High-range Protection Council (HPC), which supports the LDF, has considerable influence here and the constituency had witnessed several agitations against the Gadgil-Kasturirangan reports.
In the Lok Saba election, the HPC candidate had polled 24,227 votes here. Kattappana, Cheruthoni, and Mariyapuram areas are considered to be the HPC’s key areas of clout.
Though the constituency was once considered a citadel of the UDF, the emergence of the HPC which fielded its own candidate supported by the LDF in the local bodies election and won several seats, is a factor to be reckoned with. The emergence of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) and the formation of Janathipathya Kerala Congress (JKC) by Francis George would also play a decisive role here.
