1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election

The Kerala Legislative Assembly election of 1957 was the first assembly election in the Indian state of Kerala. The Communist Party of India won the election with 60 seats. The election led to the formation of first democratically elected communist government in India.[1] The election also made Kerala as the first state to elect a Non-Congress party in the country.[2]

1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election
28 February – 11 March 1957
All 126 seats in the Kerala Legislative Assembly
64 seats needed for a majority
Turnout65.49%
  First party Second party
 
Leader E. M. S. Namboodiripad P. T. Chacko
Party CPI INC
Leader's seat Nileshwaram Vazhoor
Seats won 60 43
Popular vote 20,59,547 22,09,251
Percentage 35.28% 37.85%
Chief Minister before election

Position established

 Chief Minister

E. M. S. Namboodiripad
Communist Party of India

State reorganisation

On 1 November 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, Kerala was formed by the merger of Travancore-Cochin state with the Malabar district (including Fort Cochin and the Laccadive Islands) of Madras State, Kasaragod taluk of the South Canara district and the Amindive Islands. The southern part of Travancore-Cochin, the five taluks of Agastheeswaram, Thovala, Kalkulam, Vilavahcode, and Shencotta, were transferred from Travancore-Cochin to the Madras State.[3] After the reorganization, the assembly constituencies increased from 106 with 117 seats in 1954 to 114 with 126 seats in 1957.

Background

Following the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the Malabar District of Madras state merged with Travancore-Cochin to form the new state of Kerala on 1 November 1956. The merger helped the Communist Party of India to increase their base in the region.[4] The ruling Indian National Congress lost the prominence due to the factionalism within the party. Furthermore, communalism and struggles against feudalism played a major role.[4][5]

Election

The Election Commission of India conducted elections to the newly created state between 28 February – 11 March 1957.[6] The elections were held to the 126 seats (114 constituencies) including 12 two member constituencies of which 11 and one reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively, in which 406 candidates were contested. The voter turnout was 65.49%.[7]

Results

The result of the elections listed below:

Summary of results of the 1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election[8]
PartyFlagSeats
Contested		Won % of
Seats		 VotesVote %Vote % in
contested seats
Indian National Congress 1244334.132,209,25137.8538.1
Communist Party of India 1016047.622,059,54735.2840.57
Praja Socialist Party 6597.14628,26110.7617.48
Revolutionary Socialist Party 280188,5533.2311.12
Independent politician 861411.11751,96512.88N/A
Total seats126Voters89,13,247Turnout58,37,577 (65.49%)

In the election, five women candidates were elected out of nine candidates.[7][9]

By Constituency
Assembly Constituency Winner Runner
No. Constituency Name Category Name Party Vote Name Party Vote
1ParassalaGENKunjukrishnan Nadar M.INC16,742Krishna Pillai KPSP8,338
2NeyyattinkaraGENJanardhanan Nair O.CPI18,812Krishna Pillai N. K.PSP16,558
3VilappilGENSreedhar G. PonnaraPSP18,221Surendranath K. V.CPI14,278
4NemomGENSadasivan A.CPI15,998Viswambharan P.PSP14,159
5Trivandrum IGENEapan E. P.PSP15,466Krishnan Nair K.Independent13,418
6Trivandrum IIGENThanu Pillai A.PSP21,816Anirudhan K.CPI17,082
7UllurGENSreedharan V.CPI16,904Alikunju Sastri M.PSP14,182
8ArianadGENBalakrishna Pillai R.CPI16,728Kesavan Nair R.INC6,987
9NedumangadGENNeelakandaru Pandarathil N.CPI20,553Somasekharan Nair KPSP7,888
10AttingalGENPrakasam R.CPI24,328Gopala PillaiPSP11,151
11Varkala(SC)Abdul Majeed T. A.CPI41,683Sivadasan K.CPI31,454
12EravipuramGENRaveendranCPI19,122Kunju Sankara Pillai V.PSP8,762
13QuilonGENA. A. RahimINC20,367Divakaran T. KRSP12,571
14Thrikkadavur(SC)Karunakaran K.CPI33,782T. KrishnanINC32,596
15KarunagappallyGENKunjukrishnan P.INC13,709P. K. KunjuPSP13,063
16KrishnapuramGENKarthikeyan G.CPI23,963Sekhara Panicker K.INC14,493
17KayamkulamGENAysha Bai K. O.CPI27,067SarojiniINC13,138
18KarthigapallyGENSugathan R.CPI20,978Velu Pillai G.INC14,887
19HaripadGENRamakrishna Pillai V.Independent20,184K. BalagangadharanINC15,812
20MavelikaraGENKunjachan P. K.CPI44,630K. C. GeorgeCPI39,617
21Kunnathur(SC)Madhavan Pillai P. R.CPI41,569Govindan R.CPI37,321
22Kottarakkara(SC)Chandrasekharan Nair E.CPI23,298Ramachandran Nair K.INC14,307
23ChadayamangalamGENBhargavan K.CPI19,375Abdul Majeed M.PSP9,143
24PathanapuramGENRajagopalan NairCPI24,499Kuttan Pillai K.INC14,440
25PunalurGENGopalan P.CPI20,455Kunjuraman Assan K.INC16,366
26RanniGENIdiculaINC23,308Thomas MathewIndependent20,722
27PathanamthittaGENBhaskara Pillai P.CPI29,001Chacko (Geevarghese) N. G.INC21,353
28AranmulaGENGopinathan Pillai K.INC18,895Vasudevan N. C.CPI18,630
29KalloopparaGENM. M. MathaiINC17,874N. T. GeorgeCPI10,843
30ThiruvallaGENG. Padmanabhan ThampiCPI22,978Kuruvila Thomas T.INC20,347
31ChengannurGENSankaranarayanan Thampi R.CPI19,538Saraswathi Amma K.INC13,546
32AlleppeyGENThomas T. V.CPI26,542Nafeesa Beevi A.INC22,278
33MararikulamGENSadasivan C. G.CPI28,153Joseph MathenINC18,350
34SherthalaGENK. R. GouriCPI26,088A. Subramonian PillaiINC22,756
35AroorGENP. S. KarthikeyanINC23,956Avira TharakanIndependent22,296
36ThakazhiGENThomas JohnINC21,940Varghese Vaidlian T. K.CPI16,480
37ChanganacherryGENKalyanakrishnan Nair M.CPI22,539Raghavan Pillai P.INC19,693
38VazhoorGENChacko P. T.INC20,102Raghava Kurup N.CPI20,022
39KanjirappallyGENThomas K. T.INC14,896JosephPSP12,893
40PuthuppallyGENP. C. CherianINC20,396George E. M.CPI19,000
41KottayamGENBhaskaran Nair P.CPI23,021Govindhan Nair M. P.INC20,750
42EttumanoorGENJoseph GeorgeINC21,423Gopala Pillai C. S.CPI19,930
43MeenachilGENJoseph P. M.INC20,126Thomas MathaiIndependent13,462
44VaikomGENK. R. NarayananINC25,818C. K. ViswanathanCPI25,164
45KaduthuruthyGENM. C. AbrahamINC22,365Kurian KurianIndependent13,552
46RamamangalamGENE. P. PouloseINC20,086Parameswaran NairCPI13,588
47MuvattupuzhaGENK. M. GeorgeINC16,820Kuruvilla Mattai (Mathew)CPI14,993
48Devicolam(SC)Rosamma PunnoseCPI33,809Ganapathy N.INC31,887
Bye Polls in 1958Bye Polls in 1958R. PunnoseCOM55,819B. NairINC48,730
49ThodupuzhaGENMathew C. A.INC22,149Narayanan Nair KCPI11,680
50KarikodeGENKusuman JosephINC14,669Augustine OusephIndependent12,084
51PoonjarGENThomman T. A.INC21,279Chacko Vallikkappan (Jocob)CPI9,045
52PuliyannurGENK. M. Joseph ChazhicattPSP18,605Prof.K.MChandyINC17,915
53PalluruthyGENAlexander ParambitharINC23,666Gangadharan P.CPI19,848
54MattancherryGENViswanathan K. K.INC19,106Aboo T. MCPI13,046
55NarakkalGENK. C. AbrahamINC24,253K. K. RamakrishnanCPI22,321
56ErnakulamGENJacob A. L.INC23,857V. Ramankutty MenonCPI18,172
57KanayannurGENRamakrishnan T. K.CPI21,292Joseph A. V.INC17,506
58AlwayeGENT. O. BavaINC23,707Varkey M. C.Independent21,142
59PerumbavoorGENGovinda Pillai P.CPI21,679K. A. Damodara MenonINC20,780
60KothakulangaraGENAnthony M. A.INC24,133A. P. KurianCPI15,246
61ParurGENSivan Pillai N.CPI19,997K. I. MathewINC17,909
62VadakkekaraGENBalan K. A.CPI23,385Vijayan K. R.INC17,844
63CranganoreGENE. Gopalakrishna MenonCPI20,385Kunju Moideen A. K.INC18,894
64Chalakkudy(SC)P. K. ChathanCPI43,454C. J. JenardhananPSP42,997
65IrinjalakudaGENAchutha Menon C.CPI24,140K. T. AchuthanINC21,480
66ManalurGENMundassery JosephCPI23,350SukumaranINC21,355
67TrichurGENA. R. MenonIndependent23,531Karunakaran K.INC21,045
68OllurGENParanchu R.INC15,994Raghavan V.CPI15,915
69KunnamkulamGENKrishnan T. K.CPI21,161Velayudhan K. I.INC18,788
70Wadakkanchery(SC)Ayyappan C. C.CPI33,161Kochukuttan KINC28,895
71NattikaGENAchuthan K. S.INC23,594Gopalakrishnan P. K.CPI22,039
72GuruvayoorGENKoru KooliyatIndependent16,722Abubaker M. V.INC14,087
73AndathoduGENKolady Govindan Kutty MenonCPI14,229Karunakara Menon K. G.INC12,495
74Ponnani(SC)Kunhambu KallayanINC22,784Kunhan Eliyath TharayilCPI20,535
75KuzhalmannamGENJohn KuduvakkotteIndependent19,437Kesava Menon T.P.INC14,689
76AlathurGENKrishnan R.CPI19,203Vaitheeswara Iyer P. S.INC13,317
77Chittur(SC)Balachandra Menon P.CPI23,995Eacharan K.INC22,062
78ElapullyGENRamankutty A. K.CPI16,768Sankaran C. C.INC11,560
79PalghatGENRaghava Menon R.INC14,873Kunhiraman M. P.CPI14,248
80ParliGENNarayanakutty C. K.CPI21,627Gopalakrishnan Nair K.INC13,996
81MannarghatGENKrishna Menon K.CPI13,375Kochunny Nair K. C.INC9,665
82PerinthalmannaGENGovindan NambiarCPI13,248Pookoya Thangal Haji P. V.Independent9,398
83OttapalamGENKunhunni NayarCPI16,157Sundara Iyer N.INC15,248
84PattambiGENGopalan Erasseri PatinharethilCPI17,447Padamanabha Menon K. P.INC9,793
85MankadaGENMohammad Kodur Valia PeedikakkalIndependent11,854Mohammad MalavattathINC8,338
86TirurGENMoideenkutty Hajee K.Independent15,404Alikutty P. P.INC13,231
87TanurGENMuhammed Koya C. H.Independent16,787Assanar Kutty T.INC11,520
88KuttippuramGENAhamedkutty C.Independent15,495Moideenkutty P. K.INC10,424
89ThirurangadyGENAyukkadarkutty NahakIndependent17,622Kunhalikutty Haji A.INC16,670
90MalappuramGENHassan Gani K.Independent17,214Saidalavi P.INC12,243
91Manjeri(SC)Ummer Koya P. P.INC30,860Chadayan M.Independent29,101
92KondottyGENAhammad Kurikkal M. P. M.Independent18,981Abubakar KolakadanINC11,866
93Kozhikode IGENSarada KrishnanINC17,388Manjunatha Rao H.CPI16,079
94Kozhikode I IGENKumaran P.INC18,586E. JanardhananIndependent11,211
95ChevayurGENBalagopalan A.INC20,683Raghavan NairCPI17,319
96KunnamangalamGENLeela Damodara MenonINC13,598Chathunni Ottayil K.CPI11,814
97KoduvallyGENGopalankutty Nair M.INC19,377Muhammedkutty C.Independent15,950
98BalusseriGENNarayana Kurup M.PSP15,789Raghavan Nair E.INC11,536
99QuilandyGENKunhiraman NambiarPSP19,668Achuthan Nair P.INC16,622
100PerambraGENKumaran MadathilCPI17,838Madhavan Nair T K.INC15,827
101BadagaraGENKelu Mandoti KuniyilCPI17,123KrishnanPSP15,448
102NadapuramGENKanaran C. H.CPI18,533Kunhammad Haji V. K.INC15,177
103Wynad(SC)Kunjikrishnan Nair N. K.INC31,993MaduraINC29,296
104KuthuparambaGENRamunny KurupPSP21,540Madhavan P. K.CPI14,858
105MattannurGENBalaram N. E.CPI23,540Kunhiraman NairINC13,089
106TellicherryGENKrishna Iyer V. R.Independent27,318Kunhiraman P.INC15,234
107Cannanore IGENKannan ChaliyothCPI17,464Gopalan OthayothINC17,413
108Cannanore IIGENGopalan K. P.CPI21,493Madhavan PambanINC18,776
109MadayiGENGopalan Nambiar K. P. R.CPI24,390T. Narayanan NambiarINC12,169
110RikkurGENNarayanan Nambiar T. C.CPI24,518Narayanan NambissanINC11,052
111Nileswar(SC)KallalanCPI44,754Namboodiripad E. M. S.CPI38,090
112HosdrugGENChandraskharan K.PSP14,150Madhavan K.CPI11,209
113KasaragodGENKunhikrishan Nair CheripadyINC10,290Narayanan NambiarPSP10,096
114ManjeshwarGENM. Umesh RaoIndependentUncontested

[10]

Government formation

Communist Party of India formed the government with the support of five independents.[11] On 5 April 1957, E. M. S. Namboodiripad became the chief minister of Kerala and first non–Congress chief minister of the country (PSP ruled Travencore Cochin state before). But the government was dismissed in 1959 by the central government following the Liberation Struggle.[12]

See also

References
  1. James Manor (1994). Nehru to the Nineties: The Changing Office of Prime Minister in India. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-85065-180-2.
  2. James Manor (1994). Nehru to the Nineties: The Changing Office of Prime Minister in India. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-85065-180-2.
  3. "Reorganisation of States - The Approach and Arrangements" (PDF). The Economic Weekly. 7 (42). 15 October 1955. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  4. P Radhakrishnan. Peasant Struggles, Land Reforms and Social Change: Malabar 1836–1982. Radhakrishnan. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-906083-16-8.
  5. Communal Road to a Secular Kerala. Concept Publishing Company. 1 January 1989. p. 145. ISBN 978-81-7022-282-8.
  6. "History of Kerala Legislature". kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  7. "Key highlights of General election, 1957 to the legislative assembly of Kerala" (pdf). Election Commission of India. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  8. "Statistical Report on General Election, 1957 : To the Legislative Assembly of Kerala". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  9. "Only 7 women make it to Kerala state Assembly". Economic Times. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  10. "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1957". www.elections.in. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  11. Thomas Johnson Nossiter (1 January 1982). Communism in Kerala: A Study in Political Adaptation. University of California Press. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-0-520-04667-2.
  12. "Fresh light on 'Liberation Struggle'". The Hindu. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
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