
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was trailing in the Dharmadam constituency until the sixth round of counting, has now taken the lead.Kerala elections 2026: Counting of votes for the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections is underway, marking the culmination of a closely contested political battle between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). With a voter turnout of 79.63% across 140 constituencies and over 2.71 crore registered voters, the stakes remain high for all three alliances.
Exit polls have largely given an edge to the UDF, raising expectations of a political comeback for the Congress after a decade out of power. The alliance, which secured just 41 seats in 2021, is projected to significantly improve its tally, with some estimates suggesting 80–90 seats. Meanwhile, the LDF is aiming for a third consecutive term, banking on its governance record, though it faces a strong anti-incumbency challenge and may fall short of its previous 99-seat performance.