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. The election also made Kerala as the first state to elect a Non-Congress party in the country.

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. 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. 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.

Election The Election Commission of India conducted elections to the newly created state between 28 February – 11 March 1957. 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%.

Results

The result of the elections listed below:

!colspan=10| |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" ! colspan=2|Party !! Flag !! Seats Contested !! Won !! % of Seats ! Votes !! Vote % !! Vote % in contested seats |- style="background: #90EE90;"

| 101 || 60 || 47.62 || 2,059,547 || 35.28 || 40.57

| 124 || 43 || 34.13 || 2,209,251 || 37.85 || 38.1

| 65 || 9 || 7.14 || 628,261 || 10.76 || 17.48

| 28 || 0 || || 188,553 || 3.23 || 11.12

| 86 || 14 || 11.11 || 751,965 || 12.88 || N/A |- class="unsortable" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! colspan = 2| ! style="text-align:center;" |Total seats !! 126 !! style="text-align:center;" |Voters !! 89,13,247 !! style="text-align:center;" |Turnout !! colspan = 3|58,37,577 (65.49%)

In the election, five women candidates were elected out of nine candidates.

By Constituency

Assembly ConstituencyWinnerRunner No. Constituency Name Category Name Party Vote NameParty Vote 1 Parassala GEN M. Kunjukrishnan Nadar 16,742 Krishna Pillai K 8,338 2 Neyyattinkara GEN Janardhanan Nair O. 18,812 Krishna Pillai N. K. 16,558 3 Vilappil GEN Ponnara Sreedhar 18,221 Surendranath K. V. 14,278 4 Nemom GEN Sadasivan A. 15,998 Viswambharan P. 14,159 5 Trivandrum I GEN Eapan E. P. 15,466 Krishnan Nair K. 13,418 6 Trivandrum II GEN Pattom A. Thanu Pillai 21,816 Anirudhan K. 17,082 7 Ullur GEN Sreedharan V. 16,904 Alikunju Sastri M. 14,182 8 Arianad GEN Balakrishna Pillai R. 16,728 Kesavan Nair R. 6,987 9 Nedumangad GEN Neelakantaru Pandarathil. N 20,553 Somasekharan Nair K 7,888 10 Attingal GEN Prakasam R. 24,328 Gopala Pillai 11,151 11 Varkala (SC) T. A. Majeed 41,683 Sivadasan K. 31,454 12 Eravipuram GEN Raveendran 19,122 Kunju Sankara Pillai V. 8,762 13 Quilon GEN A. A. Rahim 20,367 Divakaran T. K 12,571 14 Thrikkadavur (SC) Karunakaran K. 33,782 T. Krishnan 32,596 15 Karunagappally GEN Kunjukrishnan P. 13,709 P. K. Kunju 13,063 16 Krishnapuram GEN Karthikeyan G. 23,963 Sekhara Panicker K. 14,493 17 Kayamkulam GEN Aysha Bai K. O. 27,067 Sarojini 13,138 18 Karthigapally GEN Sugathan R. 20,978 Velu Pillai G. 14,887 19 Haripad GEN Ramakrishna Pillai V. 20,184 K. Balagangadharan 15,812 20 Mavelikara GEN Kunjachan P. K. 44,630 K. C. George 39,617 21 Kunnathur (GEN) Madhavan Pillai P. R. 41,569 Govindan R. 37,321 22 Kottarakkara (SC) E. Chandrasekharan Nair 23,298 Ramachandran Nair K. 14,307 23 Chadayamangalam GEN Bhargavan K. 19,375 Abdul Majeed M. 9,143 24 Pathanapuram GEN Rajagopalan Nair 24,499 Kuttan Pillai K. 14,440 25 Punalur GEN Gopalan P. 20,455 Kunjuraman Assan K. 16,366 26 Ranni GEN Idicula 23,308 Thomas Mathew 20,722 27 Pathanamthitta GEN Bhaskara Pillai P. 29,001 Chacko (Geevarghese) N. G. 21,353 28 Aranmula GEN Gopinathan Pillai K. 18,895 Vasudevan N. C. 18,630 29 Kallooppara GEN M. M. Mathai 17,874 N. T. George 10,843 30 Thiruvalla GEN G. Padmanabhan Thampi 22,978 Kuruvila Thomas T. 20,347 31 Chengannur GEN R. Sankara Narayanan Thampi 19,538 Saraswathi Amma K. 13,546 32 Alleppey GEN T. V. Thomas 26,542 Nafeesa Beevi A. 22,278 33 Mararikulam GEN Sadasivan C. G. 28,153 Joseph Mathen 18,350 34 Sherthala GEN K. R. Gowri Amma 26,088 A. Subramonian Pillai 22,756 35 Aroor GEN P. S. Karthikeyan 23,956 Avira Tharakan 22,296 36 Thakazhi GEN Thomas John 21,940 Varghese Vaidlian T. K. 16,480 37 Changanacherry GEN Kalyanakrishnan Nair M. 22,539 Raghavan Pillai P. 19,693 38 Vazhoor GEN P. T. Chacko 20,102 Raghava Kurup N. 20,022 39 Kanjirappally GEN Thomas K. T. 14,896 Joseph 12,893 40 Puthuppally GEN P. C. Cherian 20,396 George E. M. 19,000 41 Kottayam GEN Bhaskaran Nair P. 23,021 Govindhan Nair M. P. 20,750 42 Ettumanoor GEN Joseph George 21,423 Gopala Pillai C. S. 19,930 43 Meenachil GEN Joseph P. M. 20,126 Thomas Mathai 13,462 44 Vaikom GEN K. R. Narayanan 25,818 C. K. Viswanathan 25,164 45 Kaduthuruthy GEN M. C. Abraham 22,365 Kurian Kurian 13,552 46 Ramamangalam GEN E. P. Poulose 20,086 Parameswaran Nair 13,588 47 Muvattupuzha GEN K. M. George 16,820 Kuruvilla Mattai (Mathew) 14,993 48 Devicolam (SC) Rosamma Punnose 33,809 Ganapathy N. 31,887 Bye Polls in 1958 Bye Polls in 1958 R. Punnose COM 55,819 B. Nair 48,730 49 Thodupuzha GEN Mathew C. A. 22,149 Narayanan Nair K 11,680 50 Karikode GEN Kusuman Joseph 14,669 Augustine Ouseph 12,084 51 Poonjar GEN Thomman T. A. 21,279 Chacko Vallikkappan (Jocob) 9,045 52 Puliyannur GEN K. M. Joseph Chazhicatt 18,605 Prof.K.MChandy 17,915 53 Palluruthy GEN Alexander Parambithar 23,666 Gangadharan P. 19,848 54 Mattancherry GEN Viswanathan K. K. 19,106 Aboo T. M 13,046 55 Narakkal GEN K. C. Abraham 24,253 K. K. Ramakrishnan 22,321 56 Ernakulam GEN Jacob A. L. 23,857 V. Ramankutty Menon 18,172 57 Kanayannur GEN Ramakrishnan T. K. 21,292 Joseph A. V. 17,506 58 Alwaye GEN T. O. Bava 23,707 Varkey M. C. 21,142 59 Perumbavoor GEN Govinda Pillai P. 21,679 K. A. Damodara Menon 20,780 60 Kothakulangara GEN Anthony M. A. 24,133 A. P. Kurian 15,246 61 Parur GEN Sivan Pillai N. 19,997 K. I. Mathew 17,909 62 Vadakkekara GEN Balan K. A. 23,385 Vijayan K. R. 17,844 63 Cranganore GEN E. Gopalakrishna Menon 20,385 Kunju Moideen A. K. 18,894 64 Chalakkudy (SC) P. K. Chathan Master 43,454 C. J. Jenardhanan 42,997 65 Irinjalakuda GEN C. Achutha Menon 24,140 K. T. Achuthan 21,480 66 Manalur GEN Joseph Mundassery 23,350 Sukumaran 21,355 67 Trichur GEN A. R. Menon 23,531 K.Karunakaran 21,045 68 Ollur GEN Paranchu R. 15,994 Raghavan V. 15,915 69 Kunnamkulam GEN Krishnan T. K. 21,161 Velayudhan K. I. 18,788 70 Wadakkanchery (SC) Ayyappan C. C. 33,161 Kochukuttan K 28,895 71 Nattika GEN Achuthan K. S. 23,594 Gopalakrishnan P. K. 22,039 72 Guruvayoor GEN Koru Kooliyat 16,722 Abubaker M. V. 14,087 73 Andathodu GEN Kolady Govindan Kutty Menon 14,229 Karunakara Menon K. G. 12,495 74 Ponnani (SC) Kunhambu Kallayan 22,784 Kunhan Eliyath Tharayil 20,535 75 Kuzhalmannam GEN John Kuduvakkotte 19,437 Kesava Menon T.P. 14,689 76 Alathur GEN Krishnan R. 19,203 Vaitheeswara Iyer P. S. 13,317 77 Chittur (SC) Balachandra Menon P. 23,995 Eacharan K. 22,062 78 Elapully GEN Ramankutty A. K. 16,768 Sankaran C. C. 11,560 79 Palghat GEN Raghava Menon R. 14,873 Kunhiraman M. P. 14,248 80 Parli GEN Narayanakutty C. K. 21,627 Gopalakrishnan Nair K. 13,996 81 Mannarghat GEN Krishna Menon K. 13,375 Kochunny Nair K. C. 9,665 82 Perinthalmanna GEN Govindan Nambiar 13,248 Pookoya Thangal Haji P. V. 9,398 83 Ottapalam GEN Kunhunni Nayar 16,157 Sundara Iyer N. 15,248 84 Pattambi GEN Gopalan Erasseri Patinharethil 17,447 Padamanabha Menon K. P. 9,793 85 Mankada GEN Mohammad Kodur Valia Peedikakkal 11,854 Mohammad Malavattath 8,338 86 Tirur GEN Moideenkutty Hajee K. 15,404 Alikutty P. P. 13,231 87 Tanur GEN C. H. Mohammed Koya 16,787 Assanar Kutty T. 11,520 88 Kuttippuram GEN Ahamedkutty C. 15,495 Moideenkutty P. K. 10,424 89 Thirurangady GEN K. Avukader Kutty Naha 17,622 Kunhalikutty Haji A. 16,670 90 Malappuram GEN Hassan Gani K. 17,214 Saidalavi P. 12,243 91 Manjeri (SC) P. P. Ummer Koya 30,860 Chadayan M. 29,101 92 Kondotty GEN M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal 18,981 Abubakar Kolakadan 11,866 93 Kozhikode I GEN Sarada Krishnan 17,388 Manjunatha Rao H. 16,079 94 Kozhikode I I GEN Kumaran P. 18,586 E. Janardhanan 11,211 95 Chevayur GEN Balagopalan A. 20,683 Raghavan Nair 17,319 96 Kunnamangalam GEN Leela Damodara Menon 13,598 Chathunni Ottayil K. 11,814 97 Koduvally GEN Gopalankutty Nair M. 19,377 Muhammedkutty C. 15,950 98 Balusseri GEN Narayana Kurup M. 15,789 Raghavan Nair E. 11,536 99 Quilandy GEN Kunhiraman Nambiar 19,668 Achuthan Nair P. 16,622 100 Perambra GEN Kumaran Madathil 17,838 Madhavan Nair T K. 15,827 101 Badagara GEN Kelu Mandoti Kuniyil 17,123 Krishnan 15,448 102 Nadapuram GEN Kanaran C. H. 18,533 Kunhammad Haji V. K. 15,177 103 Wynad (SC) Kunjikrishnan Nair N. K. 31,993 Madura 29,296 104 Kuthuparamba GEN Ramunny Kurup 21,540 Madhavan P. K. 14,858 105 Mattannur GEN Balaram N. E. 23,540 Kunhiraman Nair 13,089 106 Tellicherry GEN V. R. Krishna Iyer 27,318 Kunhiraman P. 15,234 107 Cannanore I GEN Kannan Chaliyoth 17,464 Gopalan Othayoth 17,413 108 Cannanore II GEN K. P. Gopalan 21,493 Madhavan Pamban 18,776 109 Madayi GEN Gopalan Nambiar K. P. R. 24,390 T. Narayanan Nambiar 12,169 110 Rikkur GEN Narayanan Nambiar T. C. 24,518 Narayanan Nambissan 11,052 111 Nileswar (SC) Kallalan 44,754 E. M. S. Namboodiripad 38,090 112 Hosdrug GEN K. Chandrasekharan 14,150 Madhavan K. 11,209 113 Kasaragod GEN Kunhikrishan Nair Cheripady 10,290 Narayanan Nambiar 10,096 114 Manjeshwar GEN M. Umesh Rao Uncontested

Government formation Communist Party of India formed the government with the support of five independents. 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 led by Syro-Malabar Church and Hindu caste organisations such as the Nair Service Society headed by Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai.

See also First Namboodiripad ministry 1957 elections in India 1954 Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly election

References