Voting begins in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry: NDA's hold and INDIA bloc's comeback on the line
Voting began at 7 am under tight security, with webcasting and special facilities for voters in place
- Apr 9, 2026,
- Updated Apr 9, 2026 7:34 AM IST
Polling is underway across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, three states where the NDA is defending ground, and the INDIA bloc is fighting to reclaim it. Voting began at 7 am under tight security, with webcasting and special facilities for voters in place.
Assam: Hat-trick vs comeback
The battle for Assam's 126-member Assembly is a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition alliance. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is chasing a third consecutive term for the BJP; Congress, led in the state by Gaurav Gogoi, wants its government back.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, with over 2.5 crore voters casting ballots across 31,490 polling stations.
In 2021, the NDA won 76 of 126 seats, with the BJP alone claiming 60. The Congress-led alliance managed around 49.
Kerala: The incumbent's test
Kerala's 140 seats are contested by 883 candidates, with 2.71 crore voters set to decide. The fight is, as ever, bipolar, the ruling Left Democratic Front against the Congress-led United Democratic Front.
The LDF is leaning on its welfare record and social security schemes. The UDF has countered with unemployment figures, rising prices, and allegations of financial mismanagement.
Polling takes place across 30,495 stations, with 1.46 lakh officials and 76,000 security personnel deployed. Arrangements for drinking water and fans have been made at booths in light of the summer heat.
Kerala has historically voted out incumbents, a pattern the LDF broke in 2021, when it returned with 97 of 140 seats. The UDF won 41.
Puducherry: NDA holds, INDIA bloc pushes back
In Puducherry, around 9.5 lakh voters will choose from 294 candidates across 30 Assembly seats. Chief Minister N Rangasamy is contesting from two constituencies, Thattanchavady and Mangalam, as the NDA seeks to retain power on the back of its "double-engine" governance pitch.
Authorities have flagged over 200 polling stations as vulnerable and deployed drones to monitor cash and liquor distribution, with significant seizures reported in the run-up to polling day. Women-run polling stations and assistance for elderly and differently-abled voters are among the special arrangements in place.
In 2021, the NDA alliance won 16 of 30 seats. The DMK-Congress-led front managed 8.
Results for all three states will be declared on May 4.
Polling is underway across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, three states where the NDA is defending ground, and the INDIA bloc is fighting to reclaim it. Voting began at 7 am under tight security, with webcasting and special facilities for voters in place.
Assam: Hat-trick vs comeback
The battle for Assam's 126-member Assembly is a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition alliance. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is chasing a third consecutive term for the BJP; Congress, led in the state by Gaurav Gogoi, wants its government back.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, with over 2.5 crore voters casting ballots across 31,490 polling stations.
In 2021, the NDA won 76 of 126 seats, with the BJP alone claiming 60. The Congress-led alliance managed around 49.
Kerala: The incumbent's test
Kerala's 140 seats are contested by 883 candidates, with 2.71 crore voters set to decide. The fight is, as ever, bipolar, the ruling Left Democratic Front against the Congress-led United Democratic Front.
The LDF is leaning on its welfare record and social security schemes. The UDF has countered with unemployment figures, rising prices, and allegations of financial mismanagement.
Polling takes place across 30,495 stations, with 1.46 lakh officials and 76,000 security personnel deployed. Arrangements for drinking water and fans have been made at booths in light of the summer heat.
Kerala has historically voted out incumbents, a pattern the LDF broke in 2021, when it returned with 97 of 140 seats. The UDF won 41.
Puducherry: NDA holds, INDIA bloc pushes back
In Puducherry, around 9.5 lakh voters will choose from 294 candidates across 30 Assembly seats. Chief Minister N Rangasamy is contesting from two constituencies, Thattanchavady and Mangalam, as the NDA seeks to retain power on the back of its "double-engine" governance pitch.
Authorities have flagged over 200 polling stations as vulnerable and deployed drones to monitor cash and liquor distribution, with significant seizures reported in the run-up to polling day. Women-run polling stations and assistance for elderly and differently-abled voters are among the special arrangements in place.
In 2021, the NDA alliance won 16 of 30 seats. The DMK-Congress-led front managed 8.
Results for all three states will be declared on May 4.