By 8.30 in the morning in the Punalur assembly constituency of Kollam district, the heat is already oppressive. A narrow residential lane hums with election activity, but the energy feels strained. Major candidates C Ajay Prasad (Left Democratic Front), Noushad Younis (United Democratic Front), and B Raghunathan Pillai (National Democratic Alliance) move from gate to gate, greeting voters with small groups of workers. Located along the foothills of the southern Western Ghats, Punalur is among the hottest regions in Kerala and has occasionally recorded the highest temperatures in the country.
Within minutes of campaigning, shirts are soaked, faces glisten, and the pace slows. At one house, an elderly woman refuses to step out into the sun and asks the candidate to return in the evening. The group pauses under a coconut tree for relief. A volunteer breaks open tender coconuts and hands them around. By 10 am, the lane is deserted. Campaigning retreats indoors, pushed back by a rising sun. Only by late evening do campaigners return to seek votes.
As the April 9 Assembly election approaches, this pattern is becoming routine across Kerala. Unlike previous elections, the 2026 campaign is unfolding under an early and unusually intense summer. Daytime temperatures are already hovering between 36°C and 38°C in several districts, with parts of north Kerala touching 38°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued repeated warnings of hot and humid conditions, noting temperatures are 2 to 3 degrees above normal. High humidity, often between 70 and 80 per cent in coastal regions, is pushing the heat index far beyond recorded temperatures.
“This is not a classical heatwave like in north India, but the impact is significant. High humidity reduces the body’s ability to cool itself. People working outdoors will experience intense discomfort, especially under high ultraviolet radiation. UV index values in parts of Kerala have reached 6 to 7, placing people at risk of heat-related illness during prolonged exposure,” says Neetha K Gopal, senior meteorologist with IMD.
Kerala’s heat is deceptive. Though temperatures rarely cross 40°C, the combination of heat and humidity creates severe physiological stress, particularly along the state’s 570 km coastline. Sweating becomes less effective, leading to faster dehydration and exhaustion. Health authorities have warned of rising risks of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and sunstroke, especially between 11 am and 3 pm.
The early onset of heat has unsettled even those accustomed to Kerala’s climate. Scientists see this as part of a deeper shift. S Abhilash of the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University of Science and Technology points to an abnormal rise in temperatures beginning in late January. “We are seeing a change in seasonal behaviour. Heat is arriving earlier and persisting longer. At the same time, hot air from the interior is penetrating more easily through the Palakkad Gap,” he says. He adds that warming in the Arabian Sea is increasing atmospheric moisture, intensifying humidity, and compounding the heat.
Data support this trend. Maximum temperatures are already 2 to 4 degrees above normal in March, while minimum temperatures are also higher than usual. Warmer nights reduce recovery time for the body, increasing cumulative stress. In recent years, Kerala has recorded a steady rise in such warm nights, a key indicator of climate change. In 2024, the state reported around 1,700 heat-related illnesses and at least five deaths. This year, advisories have been issued even before peak summer, urging people to avoid exposure during peak hours and stay hydrated.
This slow-building heat is reshaping the state’s most visible democratic exercise. Election campaigns in Kerala have traditionally relied on intense ground engagement, including long hours of door-to-door canvassing, public meetings, and street-level mobilisation. That rhythm is now breaking down. Across constituencies, campaign schedules are being redrawn around the sun. Activities begin earlier in the morning and taper off by late morning. Afternoons are largely avoided, with campaigning resuming only in the evening and often extending into the night.
“We have had to completely reorganise our schedule,” says Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad, contesting in the Cherthala constituency. “Most of our work now happens in the morning and evening. Afternoon campaigning is exhausting for both workers and voters.” Even brief interactions are affected. “People prefer to speak quickly or ask us to come later. Nobody wants to stand outside in this heat.”
The burden is falling most heavily on campaign workers who sustain the everyday mechanics of elections. Walking neighbourhoods, distributing materials, and mobilising support have become physically demanding and, at times, risky. Participation is beginning to thin. “We used to have many volunteers for door-to-door work,” says M
Rajeev, a Congress organiser in Thiruvananthapuram. “Now, fewer people are willing to come out during the day, and even those who do cannot stay long.”
For many, the decision is also economic. P K Sreedevi, a daily wage worker in Varkala who occasionally volunteers for the LDF, has reduced her involvement. “If I fall sick because of the heat, I lose income. So, I help only in the evenings,” she says. Her concern reflects a wider vulnerability among those dependent on daily labour.
Even committed party workers acknowledge the strain. “We endure the heat because we have to win,” says K V Sasi, a Congress leader in Sulthan Bathery. “But by afternoon, you feel drained. We take breaks and drink water, but it is still difficult.” Campaign teams now carry water, oral rehydration salts, and fruits. Tender coconut water has become a routine part of campaign logistics. Many candidates have also shifted to lighter diets.
The heat is also altering campaign methods. Door-to-door canvassing is largely restricted to early mornings. Later, candidates rely more on vehicles, indoor meetings, or digital outreach. Afternoons have become periods of inactivity, often used for planning and coordination.
Even campaign materials are affected. Posters peel off as adhesives dry quickly. Banners fade faster under intense sunlight. Campaign vehicles are being modified with additional cooling arrangements. These small adjustments point to a larger shift in how political activity is organised.
Recognising the risks, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has issued advisories for the election period, urging parties to ensure drinking water, provide shaded rest areas, and avoid scheduling events during peak heat hours. Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose of KSDMA warns that prolonged exposure can have serious consequences. “Heat is often underestimated because it builds gradually, but its impact can be severe, especially in humid conditions,” he says.
Voters are adjusting as well. In many areas, people prefer to meet candidates early in the morning or after sunset. Midday interactions have declined sharply. At a roadside tea shop in Thrissur, auto drivers gather in the shade and discuss the election. “Earlier, candidates would come here in the afternoon. Now nobody comes at that time,” one says. Another adds, “If polling day is this hot, it will be difficult for many people, especially older voters.”
This raises broader questions about the intersection of climate and democracy. If such conditions become more frequent, they could affect not just campaigning but participation itself. Standing in queues, travelling to polling stations, and engaging in public processes may become physically taxing. While Kerala’s strong political culture may sustain turnout, the experience of participation could become more uneven.
With polling scheduled for April 9, candidates face a limited window for intensive campaigning. The heat is effectively shortening each day. Midday shutdowns, reduced volunteer participation, and slower mobilisation mean campaigns must achieve more within fewer workable hours. This compression is pushing parties towards targeted outreach and greater reliance on media and digital platforms.
For now, adaptation continues. Campaigns start earlier, pause at noon, and resume after sunset. Evenings are more crowded, and night meetings have become common. Political activity is being compressed into narrower windows of relative comfort.
Beneath these adjustments lies a deeper transformation. Kerala’s climate is changing in ways that are no longer subtle. Heat is arriving earlier, lasting longer, and combining with humidity to create increasingly difficult conditions. Scientists warn that such patterns are likely to intensify as global temperatures rise.
“This is part of a larger trend,” says Abhilash. “We will see more frequent and prolonged periods of such heat. It is important to rethink how we plan activities, including elections, in a warming climate.”
Back in Punalur, as the sun sets, the campaign resumes. The same lane that emptied in the morning fills again with voices and movement. The candidate returns, and this time voters step out. Conversations stretch longer. For a few hours, the heat loosens its grip.
But the pause is temporary. By the next morning, the cycle repeats. Kerala’s election is moving forward, but on altered terms. Democracy is adjusting to a new constraint, one that settles in quietly and persistently. Not a crisis, but a condition that is becoming normal.