Top News

Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is trailing in the Dharmadam Assembly constituency by 733 votes. Indian National Congress candidate Abdul Rasheed took over Vijayan in Dharmadam.

Early trends show that the Congress is leading in 42 out of 140 seats, while CPI (M) is leading in 21. The Indian Union Muslim League is ahead in 13 seats, while the Communist Party of India is leading in just four.

Counting of votes for the April 9 Assembly elections in Kerala began at 8 am on Monday across 140 centres located at 43 venues statewide, marking the culmination of a fiercely contested electoral battle involving the ruling LDF, the opposition UDF, and the BJP-led NDA.

Strongrooms housing the electronic voting machines were opened around 6:30 am in the presence of Election Commission observers, security officials, and representatives of candidates. The process started with the counting of postal ballots, which account for 1.36 per cent of the total votes cast. A clearer trend in the results is expected by the afternoon.

The outcome holds significance for all three fronts as they seek to consolidate their positions in Kerala’s shifting political landscape. Out of 2,71,42,952 registered voters, 79.63 per cent participated in polling across 140 constituencies. Including postal ballots received till May 1, the turnout has provisionally risen to 79.70 per cent, according to Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar.

Kelkar had earlier said that 53,984 postal ballots were issued to service voters, with 20,028 received as of May 1. A total of 883 candidates are in the fray.

For the counting exercise, 15,464 personnel have been deployed, including returning officers, additional returning officers, micro observers, counting supervisors, and assistants. Security has been tightened with 25 companies of central forces stationed alongside state police to guard counting centres, while surveillance has been stepped up across the state to prevent any post-poll disturbances.

Most exit polls have indicated a close contest, though several suggest an edge for the Congress-led UDF, which has been out of power since 2016 and is aiming to significantly improve on its 41-seat tally from the 2021 elections. Some projections place the UDF in the 80–90 seat range.

The ruling LDF remains optimistic about retaining power for a third consecutive term despite predictions of a tight race. A loss for the Left would mark the first time since the 1960s that it is not in power in any Indian state.

The BJP-led NDA, while not seen as a frontrunner to form the government, is viewing the election as an opportunity to expand its footprint in Kerala after failing to win any seats in 2021, with a focus on boosting its vote share beyond 20 per cent.