The Manorama News–C Voter exit poll for the Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 indicates that the LDF is likely to retain an upper hand in Palakkad district, with a projected tally of 7–9 seats. However, the numbers also point to a tighter contest compared to 2021, with the UDF making notable gains.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, Palakkad was a stronghold of the LDF, which won 10 out of the district’s 12 seats, while the UDF managed just two. The NDA, though finishing runner-up in several constituencies, failed to open its account.

This time, the exit poll suggests a shift in momentum. While the LDF is projected to win 7–9 seats, the UDF could secure 3–5 seats. The NDA is once again unlikely to win a seat, despite maintaining a vote share of 16%. Interestingly, the vote share gap between the two fronts is extremely narrow, with the UDF at 40% and the LDF close behind at 39%, indicating a tightly fought contest.

Palakkad constituency, one of the key battlegrounds in the district, is projected to go to the UDF. Actor-turned-politician Ramesh Pisharody is likely to win the seat, defeating BJP leader Sobha Surendran and LDF candidate N M Razaq. In Thrithala, another high-profile contest, V T Balram of the UDF is predicted to win the seat comfortably defeating Minister MB Rajesh. In Ottappalam, K Premkumar is expected to defeat CPM's former leader, P K Sasi, contesting as a UDF-backed independent in a close contest.

The district has 12 constituencies: Thrithala, Pattambi, Shoranur, Ottapalam, Kongad, Mannarkkad, Malampuzha, Palakkad, Tarur, Chittur, Nenmara and Alathur. Key winners from the 2021 elections included M B Rajesh (Thrithala), Shafi Parambil (Palakkad), K Krishnankutty (Chittur) and K Babu (Nenmara).

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

The exit poll provides district-wise insights across all 14 districts, identifies key battlegrounds, tracks vote share trends and captures 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.