The LDF is unlikely to repeat its clean sweep in Pathanamthitta district in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, with the UDF projected to regain ground and edge ahead, according to the Manorama News–C Voter exit poll released on Wednesday.

This means a sharp reversal from the 2021 elections, when the LDF swept all five Assembly seats in the district. This time, the UDF is projected to win between two and four seats in Pathanamthitta, while the LDF is expected to be reduced to one to three seats.

The vote share estimates indicate a tightly fought district, with the UDF projected to secure 38 per cent of the votes, only marginally ahead of the LDF’s 37 per cent. The BJP-led NDA is expected to garner an 18 per cent vote share, while other candidates could account for around 6 per cent.

Aranmula is projected to be one of the most closely watched contests in the district, with Health Minister Veena George facing a tough challenge from Congress candidate Abin Varkey. The exit poll, however, gives Veena George a slight advantage. BJP veteran Kummanam Rajasekharan is also in the fray, with his vote share likely to influence the final outcome.

In Adoor, another closely watched contest, UDF candidate C V Santhakumar is projected to hold a slight advantage over LDF’s Priji Kannan.

The Manorama News–C Voter exit poll survey offers the first comprehensive snapshot of voter sentiment across the state. The survey, conducted between April 9 and 24, covered 28,848 voters. The sample was carefully designed to reflect Kerala’s demographic and socio-economic diversity, improving the reliability of the projections.

The exit poll outlines the overall political trend in Kerala, with detailed district-wise insights across all 14 districts. It also decodes key battlegrounds, tracks vote share patterns, and indicates public preference for the Chief Minister’s post.

As per Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission of India had prohibited the conduct and publication of exit polls from 7 am on April 9, 2026, to 6.30 pm on April 29, 2026.