Key Points:
The Kottikalasam ceremony is a celebratory event where party workers gather to showcase their strength against one another.
The streets of Kerala were filled with party flags, music, dance, and slogans as supporters expressed their excitement.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s comment drawing a comparison between Chhatrapati Shivaji and Che Guevara receives mixed responses on X.
Polling for the Kerala Assembly Election 2026 is just hours away and will be held in a single phase on April 9, 2026. Supporters of their respective alliances celebrated the final phase of election campaigning with the traditional Kottikalasam ceremony.
People across the state gathered in their regions, loudly supporting and campaigning for their preferred alliances. All three colours representing the three major alliances came together one last time ahead of the Assembly election to garner more support.
The streets of Kerala, God’s Own Country, were filled with party flags, music, dance, and slogans as supporters expressed their excitement. Some party candidates even climbed onto cranes during campaigning. In districts such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Thrissur, the final hours of campaigning were marked by high energy and enthusiasm.
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The Election Commission of India announced a 48-hour silent period before the Assembly election to prohibit campaigning and ensure fair voting practices. This silent period began at 5 pm on April 7, 2026, and will continue until polling on April 9, 2026.
The Kottikalasam ceremony is a celebratory event where party workers gather to showcase their strength against one another. In constituencies such as Thodupuzha and Thiruvananthapuram, all three major alliances- the ruling LDF, the opposition UDF, and the BJP-led NDA organised their campaign events. Meanwhile, in Devikulam, all three parties assembled in Munnar for their closing campaigns.
According to a Kerala Kaumudi report, the Congress-led UDF did not participate in Kottikalasam events in the Ranni and Aranmula constituencies. UDF candidate Chandy Oommen stated that they would instead use the funds allocated for Kottikalasam to build a house for someone in need.
Amid the celebrations, some areas, including the Pattambi and Mananthavady constituencies, reported incidents of chaos.
On April 7, 2026, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar shared a picture of Kottikalasam on X, along with a caption comparing the BJP in Kerala with the CPI(M). He took a dig at the ruling alliance by pointing out what he described as a key difference between the parties’ icons.
“Our flags celebrate the great Indian Chhatrapati Shivaji, while Marxists borrow a foreigner (Che) as their icon,” Chandrasekhar wrote.
The post drew mixed reactions. Some users supported his argument, criticising CPI(M) supporters for following an ideology and icon not rooted in India, while others criticised the BJP for the remarks. One user commented that Shivaji Maharaj was an Indian warrior king who died for his people, whereas Che Guevara, an Argentinian revolutionary, never set foot in India. The user added, “One icon built an empire. The other could not even survive his own revolution.”
“Che Guevara stands as a global symbol of struggle, resistance, and revolution, inspiring generations to challenge injustice and fight for change,” wrote another user. Many users questioned that if Guevara is not linked to Kerala, then how is Shivaji Maharaj connected to the state’s history? An X user wrote, “Icons aren’t defined by geography, but by the ideas they stand for. Che Guevara became a global symbol because he stood against injustice everywhere....... not just in one country.”
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