The vote after the Liberation Struggle
What happened
The party that had led the state's first government swept out of office, and a rival front won this election in a landslide.
The Indian National Congress alone took 63 of the 126 seats, just short of a majority.
Together with its alliance — a group of parties that team up to fight an election together, and share power afterward if they win enough seats between them — it controlled 94 seats in all, comfortably past the mark needed to govern.
What changed
This vote came after the dismissal of the state's first-ever government, removed by the central government the year before.
Opposition to the CPI government's Education and Agrarian Relations bills, led by the Catholic Church, the Nair Service Society and the Congress party, grew into the 'Liberation Struggle' agitation. After Prime Minister Nehru visited Kerala on 22 June 1959, the Union Government dismissed E. M. S. Namboodiripad's ministry under Article 356 on 31 July 1959.
The Communist Party of India, which had led that government, collapsed to just 29 seats this time.
50 of the 114 constituencies changed hands from the election before.
Notable numbers
A few numbers from this landslide stand out.
Tellicherry, Keralam saw the tightest finish, decided by just 23 votes — the margin, how far ahead the winner finished, in votes, over whoever came second.
Turnout — the share of registered voters who actually cast a ballot — reached 86.1%, the highest this state has recorded in any assembly election.
Devicolam, Keralam had the most registered voters of any constituency, 1,86,387 in all.
Kunnathur, Keralam drew the largest field of candidates, 9 in total.
The backdrop
This was a crowded field by the standards of the time, spanning several parties and independents.
5 parties won seats, plus 3 independent candidates.