Kerala assembly poll results 2026: Nominal lead for UDF as counting of postal votes continues
Kerala awaits election results; the Left highlights welfare, UDF trusts local polls and anti-incumbency, and NDA focuses on social engineering. Counting begins tomorrow morning.
Kerala awaits election results; the Left highlights welfare, UDF trusts local polls and anti-incumbency, and NDA focuses on social engineering. Counting begins tomorrow morning.
Kerala awaits election results; the Left highlights welfare, UDF trusts local polls and anti-incumbency, and NDA focuses on social engineering. Counting begins tomorrow morning.
Vote counting for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections has begun across 140 centres in 43 locations, starting with postal ballots. UDF seems to gain a marginal advantage in many constituencies as counting of postal votes continues. The strong rooms storing polling materials were opened on Monday morning in the presence of candidates or their authorised representatives, under the supervision of Election Commission observers, with the entire process videographed.
Early trends from the counting of postal ballots indicated a clear edge for the UDF, leading in 60–68 seats, while the LDF was ahead in 55–59 and the NDA in 1–5.
In constituency-wise updates, LDF’s V Sivankutty leads in Nemom, with BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar in third place. BJP’s K Surendran is ahead in Manjeswar. Minister K Rajan takes the lead in Ollur, while incumbent MLA V K Prasanth is leading in Vattiyoorkkavu.
A total of 15,465 personnel have been deployed, including 140 Returning Officers, 1,340 Additional Assistant Returning Officers, 4,208 micro observers, 4,208 counting supervisors, and 5,563 counting assistants. Each round will cover votes from up to 14 polling stations.
At the counting tables, the EVM Control Unit and Form 17C are placed for verification. Any mismatch between recorded and polled votes will trigger scrutiny using VVPAT slips, which display the candidate’s serial number, name, and symbol. The final tally will be cross-checked with Form 17C Part 1. In addition, observers will randomly verify two EVMs in each round, while VVPAT slips from five polling stations in every constituency will be mandatorily counted to ensure accuracy.
The elections come amid internal rifts within major political fronts. The Left has relied on its decade-long record of development and welfare measures, while the UDF has drawn confidence from its local body poll performance and favourable exit poll trends. The NDA has pinned its hopes on social engineering, new alliances, and a development-focused campaign.
With only hours left for the verdict, Kerala awaits clarity on who will form the next government. A voter turnout of 79.70% has heightened expectations across camps, with each hoping it will work to its advantage, even as the UDF looks to capitalise on anti-incumbency sentiment.
2021 Assembly election tally
LDF: 99
UDF: 41