As Kerala heads toward the 2026 election, the state's long-standing pattern of alternating governments faces a fresh test. After the LDF's historic re-election in 2021, the big question is whether that victory was a one-time exception or the start of a new political cycle. With the UDF banking on anti-incumbency and the BJP eyeing new ground, the battle for continuity, legacy, and relevance in "God's Own State" is intensifying.