Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Wildlife incursion, a vote-catcher issue in many constituencies

Human-wildlife conflicts, particularly crop raids and elephant attacks, are dominating election campaigns in at least one-fourth of Kerala's constituencies. A.K. Saseendran, the Kerala State Forest Minister, is facing opposition from farmers who have fielded a candidate to highlight their concerns. The issue has become central to local debates across several constituencies, with both the LDF and UDF parties highlighting their respective plans for conflict mitigation. The Catholic Church and various splinter groups of Kerala Congress have also engaged in activism on this matter.