A D Thomas, a 30-year-old fisherman and Kerala Students Union leader, has won the Alappuzha assembly seat for Congress by 21,015 votes. He defeated CPI(M)’s sitting MLA P P Chitharanjan, ending the Left's hold on the constituency since 2011. Thomas gained prominence after an alleged assault by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s security during a 2024 protest.
In the Kerala Assembly election results announced on May 6, 2026, A D Thomas from Congress secured victory in Alappuzha. The 30-year-old defeated CPI(M) incumbent P P Chitharanjan by a margin of 21,015 votes. The seat had remained with CPI(M) since 2011.
Thomas hails from a fisherfolk family on the Mararikulam coast. He began fishing at age 17 alongside his father Dominic Jackson and mother Akkama, who raised three sons amid struggles. He also worked at fuel outlets, taught tuition, and completed a History degree while leading as KSU district president in Alappuzha.
Thomas rose to statewide attention during Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Nava Kerala Yatra in 2024. He waved a black flag at the touring bus and was allegedly assaulted by security personnel, leaving his face blood-soaked. Congress highlighted the incident as evidence of the Vijayan regime’s intolerance toward protests.