Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday (May 4) resigned as Kerala Chief Minister following the LDF’s crushing defeat in the April 9 Assembly elections, bringing an end to a decade-long tenure in office.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has accepted the resignation and requested Vijayan to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made, according to a Raj Bhavan statement.

Fathima Thahiliya has created history by becoming the first woman from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) to enter the Kerala Assembly. Her victory in Perambra against Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener T.P. Ramakrishnan by a margin of 5,087 votes marks a significant milestone—not just for her, but for the party as well.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s wish to see the BJP’s rise in electoral politics in Kerala now rests on its three entrants to the State Assembly, among whom are two former Union Ministers.

The BJP in Kerala, which has long struggled to secure a political foothold in a State traditionally witnessing a bipolar contest between the LDF and UDF, on Monday made significant gains in the Assembly elections by winning three seats.

The State Assembly, set to be dominated by the Congress-led UDF with the LDF in opposition, will also have three BJP members, marking a significant development for the party in the southern State.

The 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly will have 11 women MLAs, one less than in the previous House. The outgoing Assembly had 12 women Legislators, a majority of them from the CPI(M).

CPI(M) legislator Kanathil Jameela passed away in November last year. This time, the CPI(M) will have only one woman MLA—O S Ambika, who won from Attingal by a margin of 13,375 votes.

- PTI

In Manalur, Thrissur district, the election result is out with a narrow victory for Prof. C. Ravindranath (CPIM), just 126 votes ahead of T.N. Prathapan (INC). This marks a significant shift from the previous election in 2021, when the CPIM won by a margin of 29,876 votes. 

Interestingly, the BJP’s candidate, Adv. K.K. Aneeshkumar received more votes than the current winning margin, indicating a potential trend for the future.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) played a decisive role in the United Democratic Front (UDF)’s victory in the Kerala Assembly elections. Acting as a key bulwark, the party secured a record 22 seats and strengthened the confidence of its allies, particularly the Congress in the Malabar region, through clear leadership and its organisational coordination.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has played a decisive role in the UDF’s victory in the elections. Acting as a key bulwark, the party secured a record 22 seats and strengthened the confidence of its allies, particularly the Congress in the Malabar region, through clear leadership and its organisational coordination.

The IUML has emerged as the third-largest party in the Assembly, after the Congress and the CPI(M), and is set to play a crucial role in the upcoming UDF government. While party State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal has ruled out any demand for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, there is a quiet sense within the leadership that the party deserves a larger share in governance.

Confidence in the UDF’s return to power was evident when Mr. Thangal predicted a sweep in Malappuram. That forecast has been fully realised, with the UDF winning all 16 seats in the district for the first time. The result also mirrors the recent local body elections, where the UDF had captured all 35 divisions of the Malappuram district panchayat.

- Abdul Latheef Naha

Alappuzha, long considered an LDF stronghold, delivered a reality check in this election as the front was reduced to just three of the nine Assembly constituencies in the district. Having won eight constituencies in 2021, the LDF dropped five this time. In addition to retaining Haripad, UDF added Aroor, Alappuzha, Kuttanad, and Kayamkulam to its tally. Ambalappuzha, another CPI(M) sitting seat, went to comrade-turned-foe G. Sudhakaran, in what proved to be a humiliating blow to the party. The LDF managed to hold on only to Cherthala, Mavelikkara, and Chengannur.

- M.P. Praveen

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has won from the Dharmadam constituency even as the LDF suffered a severe setback. Mr. Vijayan, who had trailed in Dharmadam until the sixth round of counting, secured victory by a margin of 19,247 votes over Congress candidate V P Abdul Rasheed, who put up a tough fight and polled 66,367 votes against Mr. Vijayan’s 85,614.

Mr. Vijayan, the face of the LDF in the Assembly election, has won from Dharmadom for the third consecutive time. - PTI

The Congress High Command will take a decision on who should be the Chief Minister of Kerala in two days, after due process and there will be no discordant notes, the Leader of the Opposition, VD Satheesan has said. Addressing the media after the sweeping win of the UDF, Mr. Satheesan, said he was extremely happy that the Congress party has secured a win in Kerala, winning the largest number of seats that it had contested in, something that has never before happened in the State’s political history.

“I dedicate this massive win to the people of Kerala and the party workers of Congress who worked hard to make this win a reality. When I took charge as Leader of the Opposition, I had given a word to Sonia Gandhi that I will bring results and that I will bring UDF back to power. I am heartened that I could keep my word,” Mr. Satheesan said.- C. Maya 

With the Congress-led alliance securing a big win in Kerala, party leader Rahul Gandhi has congratulated UDF leaders and workers for a well-run campaign, and said the State now has a government with a vision to harness both potential and talent. 

In a post on X, Mr. Gandhi said, “Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign.” “As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential and now Keralam has a UDF government with a vision to harness both. I look forward to seeing my Keralam family soon,” he said. - PTI

In the churn triggered by a fierce anti incumbency wave, the Kerala Congress story this time has split into two sharply contrasting arcs, with Jose K. Mani’s camp grappling with a bruising rejection even as P.J. Joseph’s faction scripts a striking comeback. Banking on Kerala Congress (M) led by Jose K. Mani, the LDF had sought to bridge its gap with the Catholic community in central Travancore and pinned its hopes on a clutch of seats. Those expectations, however, have been swept aside by the entrenched anti Left sentiment in the region.

The fallout has been brutal for the KC(M), which drew a blank in all 12 seats it contested, including five held by sitting members. On the other hand, it has also failed for the third consecutive election since the passing of K.M. Mani to reclaim its bastion of Pala, with his son losing for the second time in a row. The verdict has placed the party under sharp focus for its inability to arrest the drift of votes towards the United Democratic Front.

In sharp contrast, the election results mark a significant resurgence for the Kerala Congress faction led by P.J. Joseph, which had remained on the margins of power for nearly a decade since 2016. Contesting eight seats, the party won seven, losing only in Kanhangad. 

- Hiran Unnikrishnan

In a breakthrough that finally cracks the long-standing dominance of the traditional coalitions in Kollam, BJP has achieved a historic victory in Chathannur, a consistent Left bastion. BJP candidate B.B. Gopakumar emerged victorious, securing a hard-fought win that marks the party’s first-ever legislative entry from the district. 

The victory in Chathannur was the culmination of a persistent effort as the party had finished as the runner-up in both the 2016 and 2021 elections. In his third attempt Mr Gopakumar managed to successfully tap into a combination of anti-incumbency sentiment and a shifting voter demographic to defeat his closest rival, R. Rajendran of the CPI, by a margin of 4,398 votes. Gopakumar polled a total of 51,923 votes, effectively capitalising on the erosion of the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) long-standing dominance in a seat previously held for two terms by G.S. Jayalal.

- Navamy Sudhish

In an election where the LDF was virtually swept aside, G. Sudhakaran, a communist veteran of over six decades, perhaps delivered the CPI(M) its most humiliating blow by wresting the Ambalappuzha Assembly constituency in Alappuzha, the party’s stronghold. Mr. Sudhakaran, who contested as an Independent, defeated CPI(M)’s sitting MLA and his party colleague until recently, H. Salam, by a massive margin of nearly 28,000 votes, the biggest victory of his career. He secured 75,184 votes against Mr. Salam’s 47,249, while the BJP finished a distant third with just 16,348 votes.

Speaking to the media after his emphatic win, Mr. Sudhakaran said the CPI(M) had “strayed” from communist values and urged it to introspect. “It is no longer the party I joined. I decided to contest as an independent after being provoked and disparaged by the leadership, including the State Secretary and the Chief Minister. The UDF, led by the secular Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League, fully backed me, for which I am thankful,” he said.

- M.P. Praveen

Shanimol Usman of UDF and P. Prasad of LDF has won the Aroor and Cherthala constituencies, respectively, in Alappuzha district. Ms. Usman wrested back the Aroor seat from CPI(M)’s sitting MLA Daleema by a margin of 9,324 votes. 

Despite the LDF’s overall setback across the State, CPI’s P. Prasad, Minister for Agriculture in the LDF government, not only retained Cherthala but more than doubled his margin to 14,489 from 6,148 in 2021.

- M.P. Praveen

The Congress thanked the people of Kerala for the UDF’s victory and said the assembly poll results in other States have fallen short of party’s expectations but it will not be disheartened and will continue its fight for ideology.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the party extends heartfelt gratitude to the people of Kerala for giving the UDF the opportunity to serve with a resounding majority.

“We recognise our responsibility and pledge to live up to the trust that the people of Keralam have reposed in us,” he said in a post on X.

PTI

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has congratulated Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior Congress leaders and also the party’s activists for the victory of UDF in Kerala. “I join all Congress party leaders and cadre to congratulate our leadership, especially Shri RahulGandhi ji, Shri Mallikarjun kharge ji, Smt Priyanka Gandhi ji, Shri KC Venugopal ji and Deepa Dasmunsi Ji for leading to this historical win,” he said in a post on X.

Mr. Reddy, who campaigned in favour of Congress candidates in Kerala, thanked the supporters of the UDF and the people of Kerala who showered their affection on him. -- PTI

Thirteen members of the 21-member LDF Cabinet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were defeated in the Kerala Assembly elections as the ruling front suffered a major setback across the State.

Of the 21 ministers, only the Chief Minister, K Rajan (Revenue), G R Anil (Civil Supplies), K.N. Balagopal (Finance), P Prasad (Agriculture), and Saji Cherian (Cultural Affairs) emerged victorious.

Among the key losers was Health Minister Veena George, who was contesting from Aranmula for the third time.

PTI

Congress leader Sachin Pilot hailed the latest trends indicating a sweeping victory for the Congress-led UDF and declared that the party is heading for a “decisive and historic win” in Kerala.

Speaking to ANI, he thanked Congress party workers for fighting a united battle to win the state elections. He credited the victory to the people of Kerala, who voted out a Left government in the State.

ANI

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has secured a narrow victory in the Kottarakara constituency as he faced a tough fight from former CPI(M) leader Aisha Potty, who had joined the Congress in January this year. Mr. Balagopal, who got 63,926 votes, won with just a margin of 1,012, against Ms. Potty who had won three times consecutively from the Kottarakara constituency in the 2006, 2011 and 2016 Assembly polls as a CPI(M) candidate.

Ms. Potty, in 2016, had secured 83,443 votes and won with a margin of over 40,000 votes from the constituency. - PTI

Hailing the Congress-led UDF’s victory in Kerala as “historic”, senior leader Sachin Pilot has asserted that there would be no issues in deciding the chief ministerial nominee as the party leadership would take the final call after consulting all stakeholders and that would be acceptable to all. Mr. Pilot, who was the Congress’ senior observer for the Kerala Assembly polls, said the “emphatic victory” in the elections will give a new direction to the political landscape.

Asked who would be the chief ministerial nominee, Mr. Pilot told PTI, “We had made a commitment before the polls that once we secure the mandate then all the elected legislators will sit with the leadership, all the stakeholders, senior leaders and also our allies...we will take all into confidence. After having consultations and feedback, the leadership in Delhi -- Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji, Rahul (Gandhi) ji and the senior leadership will decide who will get what responsibility.” That has been the set procedure in the party in all states and will be followed in Kerala as well, he asserted. - PTI

AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal has said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory was a clear verdict against the “arrogance, corruption, and nepotism” of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Mr. Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.

He claimed that Mr. Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village. - PTI

The BJP has won from the Nemom, Kazhakuttam and Chathannoor constituencies in the Assembly polls. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar confirmed that the party-led NDA won from the Nemom and Chathannoor constituencies, and termed it as a reply to the Congress and CPI(M)’s assertions that it will not get even one seat.

“Today, the people of Nemom and Chathanoor have a given a clear reply to the Congress and CPI(M). There will be two MLAs from BJP-NDA,” he said.

V Muraleedharan, who contested from the Kazhakuttam Assembly seat, confirmed his win and thanked party workers and supporters for their “hard work and sacrifices”. - PTI

Following the completion of the vote count in the hilly district of Idukki, the United Democratic Front (UDF) achieved a clean sweep across all five constituencies. In four of these seats, UDF candidates secured victories with substantial margins.

After the completion of all rounds of counting in the Udumbanchola constituency, UDF candidate Senapathi Venu won with a margin of 20,021 votes. In Peerumade, UDF candidate Cyriac Thomas won by a margin of 27,634 votes; he secured 69,672 votes, while LDF candidate K. Salimkumar secured 42,038. In the Idukki constituency, UDF candidate Roy K. Paulose defeated LDF candidate and Minister Roshy Augustine with a margin of 23,822 votes. In Thodupuzha, UDF candidate Apu John Joseph won with a record margin of 44,291 votes. Finally, in Devikulam, UDF candidate F. Raja won with a margin of 5,233 votes. He defeated LDF candidate and sitting MLA A. Raja, while three-time CPI(M) MLA S. Rajendran, who contested as a BJP candidate, secured 15,032 votes.

- Sandeep Vellaram

Union Minister George Kurian has finished third in Kanjirappally constituency. Mr. Kurian, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs, was fielded by the BJP considering the sizeable Christian population in the constituency.

When votes up to the 15th of the 16 counting rounds were tallied, Mr. Kurian was in third place, trailing Congress candidate Rony K Baby by 29,585 votes. - PTI

BJP set to have three seats in the Kerala Assembly with former Union Minister V. Muraleedharan maintaining a slender lead against LDF’s Kadakampally Surendran, going into the last round of counting in the Kazhakkuttam constituency

- S.R. Praveen

CPI(M) State secretary M V Govindan has said the LDF would examine the reasons behind its defeat in the Kerala Assembly elections and take corrective measures. Mr. Govindan said “every aspect that led to the defeat would be analysed.” He thanked LDF workers and the people who voted for the front.

“The LDF will evaluate and study the defeat, after which required corrections will be made. We expect the support of the people for it,” he said. - PTI

IUML and Congress workers gear up for a roadshow to celebrate the victory of UDF candidates in Kozhikode district. 

Photo: K. Ragesh

After a 15-year gap, the Congress-led UDF has swept Wayanad district, winning all three Assembly constituencies. In a major upset, CPI(M) leader and Minister in the outgoing Cabinet O.R. Kelu was defeated in the Mananthavady constituency. Seeking a hat-trick of victories, Mr. Kelu lost to Congress candidate Usha Vijayan by a margin of 10,543 votes.

The contest witnessed frequent lead changes during counting. Ms. Vijayan took an early lead in the initial rounds, but Mr. Kelu moved ahead in the fourth round. However, the Congress candidate regained the lead soon after and steadily widened her advantage as counting progressed.

- Sam Paul A.

LDF leader and Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani suffered defeat in the party’s stronghold of Pala. UDF-backed Independent candidate Mani C Kappen retained the seat by defeating Mr. Mani by a margin of 2,991 votes.

Pala witnessed a triangular contest, with the BJP fielding its state vice-president Shone George. - PTI

BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar joins celebrations with party workers at the party’s State headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram after winning the Nemom Assembly seat. 

Photo - Nirmal Harindran

UDF candidate Parakkal Abdulla emerged victorious with 88,197 votes, securing a majority of 10,922 votes over his incumbent rival in Kuttiyadi Assembly constituency in Kozhikode. K.P. Kunjahammed Kutty, LDF candidate, came in second with 77,275 votes. NDA candidate Ramadas Manaleri finished third, polling 12,035 votes.

- Mithosh Joseph

The UDF has retained the Perumbavoor Assembly constituency with the Congress’ Manoj Moothedan winning the polls with an impressive margin of 28,434 votes against the Left Democratic Front’s Basil Paul. While Mr Moothedan polled a total of 75,088 votes Mr. Paul received 46,654 votes. The NDA candidate, Twenty20’s Jibi Pathickal, finished third with 22,487 votes. Mr. Paul is among the crop of Kerala Congress (M) candidates who failed.

- G. Ragesh

Congress’ Tony Chammany wins Vypeen constituency, defeating CPI(M)’s M.B. Shiny by 15,648 votes. Mr. Chammany, a former mayor of the Kochi Corporation, gained a total of 66,112 votes against 50,464 polled in favour of Ms. Shiny. Twenty20’s Anitha Thomas, who contested as the NDA candidate, had to settle for 13,637 votes. Vypeen was represented by CPI(M)’s K.N. Unnikrishnan in the previous Assembly polls.

- G. Ragesh

The Congress-led UDF has maintained its massive lead in the Kerala Assembly polls as counting of votes entered the fag end in many constituencies, with trends showing that the Opposition alliance set to reach its 100 seats target. After several rounds of counting in the six hours since tallying began at 8 am, the UDF was leading in 101 of the 140 Assembly seats, while the CPI(M)-led ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) was ahead in just under 40 constituencies.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was leading in only in two seats, according to television reports. - PTI

Celebrations outside BJP’s State headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram after the party’s victory in Chathannoor Assembly constituency on Monday.

Photo - Nirmal Harindran

UDF candidate P.K. Firoz has registered an impressive victory in the Koduvally constituency, securing 95,164 votes and a massive majority of 36,682.

He trounced LDF candidate Saleem Madavoor, who polled 58,482 votes, while NDA candidate Giri Pampanal received 9,661 votes. 

- Mithosh Joseph

The high-stakes contest in the Vattiyurkavu constituency in the State capital Thiruvananthapuram has turned into a dramatic photo finish. After 11 rounds of counting, incumbent MLA V.K. Prasanth of the LDF is ahead by a razor-thin margin of just 10 votes against K. Muraleedharan of the UDF. With eight more rounds still to be counted, the result hangs in the balance.

- Sarath Babu George

UDF candidate V.T. Sooraj is leading strongly in the Balussery constituency, securing 80,735 votes and a majority of 13,331 votes in round 16 of 19.

He is ahead of LDF candidate and sitting MLA K.M. Sachin Dev, who has 67,404 votes, while NDA candidate C.P. Satheesh trails with 14,558 votes. UDF supporters have started their “victory celebrations” for Mr. Sooraj, who is one of the young candidates and a KSU leader.- Mithosh Joseph

The IUML, which is putting up a strong performance in the Kerala Assembly elections, has credited the UDF’s “teamwork” for the alliance’s resounding showing. The is leading in 23 of the 27 seats it contested in the Assembly polls.

IUML State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal said the UDF was on course to win around 100 seats. “This is the result of the UDF’s teamwork reflected in the election. The rest of the matters will be decided after discussions within the UDF,” he said. - PTI

K.K. Rema, leader of the RMP, has said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s “struggle” in the Dharmadom constituency itself sends a political message to the ruling CPI(M). Ms. Rema entered electoral politics after her husband, T P Chandrasekharan, was hacked to death on May 4, 2012, allegedly by a group involving CPI(M) activists, in a case that triggered major political controversy in the State.

The RMP, a UDF ally, is observing Chandrasekharan’s death anniversary on Monday as the counting of votes for the Kerala Assembly elections progresses.

In a Facebook post, the RMP leader reacted to the close contest in Dharmadam, where Vijayan is facing a tough challenge from Congress candidate V P Abdul Rasheed. - PTI

In Beypore Assembly constituency in Kozhikode, which witnessed a closely watched duel of personalities that has sent ripples across the State, P.A. Mohamed Riyas, the incumbent and a Minister in the outgoing Cabinet, has taken a comfortable lead against his nearest rival P.V. Anvar, who contested as an Independent with the full backing of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).

At the end of the 10th round of counting, Mr. Riyas of the CPI(M) is leading by 7,702 votes. Seven more rounds of vote counting remain in the segment.

Mr. Anvar recently vowed to shave his head, wear earrings and walk through the streets of Kozhikode if he loses the Assembly election in the Beypore constituency.

- Sam Paul A.

Industries Minister P. Rajeeve stares at a defeat in Kalamassery by trailing behind IUML’s V.E. Abdul Gafoor by 8,312 votes as seven rounds of counting are completed. Mr. Gafoor, who tasted defeat from Mr. Rajeeve the last time, has polled 39,102 votes in seven rounds. NDA’s M.P. Binu is trailing far behind with 7,181 votes.

- G. Ragesh

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has sealed one of his biggest electoral victories in his career, defeating his nearest rival T.T. Jismon of CPI by a massive 23,377 votes in Haripad. 

While he secured 68,184 votes, Mr. Jismon could manage only 44,807 votes. Sandeep Vaachaspathi of the Bharatiya Janata Party came a distant third with 31,022 votes. Mr. Chennithala has almost doubled his victory margin from 13,666 votes from the last election in 2021. Incidentally, he was the only UDF candidates to win from Alappuzha district with all the remaining 8 biting dust.

- M.P. Praveen

UDF candidates are leading in all 14 constituencies across the district so far

The UDF appears headed toward a clean sweep of all five seats in the Idukki district. As counting enters the final phase in the Idukki Assembly constituency, LDF candidate and Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine is facing a historic defeat after 25 years. By the end of the 13th round (out of 15), UDF candidate Roy K. Paulose had secured a substantial lead of 20,604 votes. Currently, Paulose has secured 60,122 votes, while Roshy Augustine has secured 39,518 votes.

- Sandeep Vellaram

UDF is leading in 12 of the 13 Assembly constituencies in Kozhikode district as the counting of voting progressed to the final phases in the afternoon. The LDF has an upper hand only in Beypore now.

Among those who are trailing included LDF convener T.P. Ramakrishnan and former Ministers A.K. Saseendran and Ahammad Devarkovil, and incumbent MLAs such as K.M. Sachindev, Linto Joseph, Thottathil Raveendran, P.T.A. Raheem, and K.P. Kunhammad Kutty. - A. S. Jayanth

Scenes from Malappuram where the Left front is facing a rout. 

Photo - Sakkeer Hussain

The Kozhikode North constituency is witnessing a close contest between incumbent Thottathil Raveendran of the CPI(M) and K. Jayanth of the Congress. At the end of the 10th round of counting, Mr. Jayanth has taken a slender lead of 780 votes. Four more rounds of vote counting remain.

- Sam Paul A.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) is all set to make a clean sweep in Ernakulam as its candidates are leading in all the 14 constituencies across the district so far. 

The Left Democratic Front, which had won five seats in the 2021 elections, has failed to make an impact this time. P. Rajeeve, Minister for Industries in the Left front government, is trailing by 7, 355 votes against his rival V. E Abdul Gafoor of the UDF. Besides Kalamassery, the LDF had won Kochi, Vypin, Kunnathunad and Kothamangalam segments in 2021. Kerala’s Opposition Leader V. D Satheesan, who is eyeing a sixth straight win, is leading in Paravur constituency with a margin of 6, 085 votes. - G. Krishnakumar

The Congress-led UDF workers broke into euphoric celebrations at Indira Bhavan as early trends in the Assembly polls pointed to the front’s emphatic return to power in Kerala after a decade. A sea of jubilant workers flooded the KPCC headquarters, raising slogans, beating drums, and distributing sweets as giant television screens showed the UDF steadily climbing past the halfway mark and then surging beyond the 100-seat mark in the 140-member Assembly. 

Cheers turned into a frenzy the moment the tally crossed three digits, with workers leaping from their seats, embracing one another, and bursting crackers. Party flags fluttered across the premises, while giant cutouts of leaders formed the backdrop to the celebrations, which showed no signs of slowing down. Senior leaders received a rousing welcome as they arrived at the venue. - PTI

IUML workers celebrating in Malappuram town

Photo: Sakeer Hussain

UDF continued to maintain its dominance in all three Assembly constituencies of Wayanad district, as per trends available at 12 noon on counting day. In Mananthavady, UDF candidate Usha Vijayan is leading by 2,531 votes. In Sulthan Bathery, I.C. Balakrishnan of the UDF widened his lead to 8,453 votes. In Kalpetta, T. Siddique of the UDF sustained a commanding lead of 25,471 votes.

- Biju Govind

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan surged ahead in the Dharmadam constituency after the completion of the seventh round of counting, securing a lead of 1,536 votes. The development comes after a closely fought contest in the early stages where UDF candidate V P Abdul Rasheed had maintained the lead from the second round onwards. The latest trend indicates a shift in momentum in favour of the LDF, pushing Rasheed to the second position. 

- C.P. Sajit

In Idukki district, in the 10th round of counting in the Udumbanchola constituency, Senapathy Venu (UDF) secured 45,406 votes, while LDF candidate K.K. Jayachandran secured 30,943 votes, giving Venu a lead of 14,463 votes. In Peerumade, after the tenth round, UDF candidate Cyriac Thomas established a massive lead of 19906 votes.

Meanwhile, in Idukki, LDF candidate and Minister Roshy Augustine is trailing by a margin of 15,614 votes following the completion of the ninth round. In the ninth round of the Thodupuzha constituency, UDF candidate Apu John Joseph secured a margin of 25,482 votes. In Devikulam, LDF candidate A. Raja maintained a 1056-vote lead in the seventh round of counting.

- Sandeep Vellaram

Chelakkara – U.R. Pradeep – 25,231

Kunnamkulam – A.C. Moideen – 5,680

Guruvayur – C.H. Rasheed – 2,888

Manalur – C. Ravindranath – 1,613

Vadakkanchery – Xavier Chittilappilly – 6,283

Ollur – K. Rajan – 6,853

Thrissur – Rajan J. Pallan – 22,317

Nattika – Geetha Gopi – 7,069

Kaipamangalam – K.K. Vatsaraj – 4,150

Irinjalakuda – Thomas Unniyadan – 4,015

Puthukkad – K.K. Ramachandran – 808

Chalakudy – Sanish Kumar Joseph – 10,560

Kodungallur – V.R. Sunilkumar – 631 

- Mini Murugatheri

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) [NCP(SP)] leader and Forest Minister in the outgoing Cabinet, A.K. Saseendran, is trailing by 6,894 votes in Elathur Assembly constituency in Kozhikode. After seven rounds of vote counting, Vidya Balakrishnan of the Congress is leading with 36,087 votes. Considered a Left bastion, Mr. Saseendran is seeking a fourth consecutive victory from the segment.

- Sam Paul A.

In Karunagappally, the sixth round of counting has seen sitting MLA C.R. Mahesh of Congress take a massive and potentially decisive lead. Mahesh has polled 31,170 votes, establishing a formidable margin of 11,184 over his nearest rival M.S. Thara of the CPI, who has secured 19,986 votes. V.S. Jithin Dev of the BJP is in third place with 12,894 votes. 

- Navamy Sudhish

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph has thanked the people of Kerala for handing a historic victory to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Flanked by Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, AICC General Secretary K.C.Venugopal and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala at the KPCC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, he said that the results are “a clear verdict against the anti-people policies of the LDF.” 

- S.R. Praveen

In Eravipuram constituency in Kollam, the sixth round of counting shows Vishnu Mohan of RSP leading with 28,008 votes, widening his lead to a substantial 5,020 over the sitting MLA and LDF candidate M. Naushad, who has secured 22,988 votes. Meanwhile, Saji D. Anand of the BDJS (NDA) is in third place with 4,565 votes. This consistent growth in the margin for the RSP candidate is a major development in this constituency, since Naushad’s previous victory margin was 28,000.

- Navamy Sudhish

The UDF is leading in 11 of the 13 constituencies in Kozhikode district. The LDF has a lead only in Kozhikode North and Beypore

- A.S. Jayanth

UDF leaders celebrate at the KPCC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram following the Congress-led front’s massive lead in Kerala State Assembly elections on Monday.

Photo: Nirmal Harindan

Former CPI leader and rebel candidate V. Kunhikrishnan leads in Payyannur assembly constituency in Kannur by 876 votes. Backed by the UDF, he contested against T I Madhusoodhanan. Mr Kunhikrishnan decided to stand a rebel candidate accusing the party of not taking action against Mr Madhusoodhanan, who is accused of financial irregularities in connections with a martyr’s fund.

- C.P. Sajit

The Congress-led UDF surges ahead as counting of votes gathers pace

Congress leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, Shashi Tharoor and others join celebrations at Indira Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram 

Photo - Nirmal Harindran 

In Pathanapuram constituency in Kollam district, the fourth round of counting has intensified the battle, with UDF candidate Jyothikumar Chamakkala extending his lead in a high-voltage contest. Chamakkala has secured 19,105 votes, maintaining a lead of 2,058 over the incumbent LDF candidate and Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, who has polled 17,047 votes. Anil Pillai representing Twenty20 has garnered 1,780 votes.

- Navamy Sudhish

As early leads and trends of State Assembly elections trickled in during the counting of votes in Kerala, celebrations began at the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, with the United Democratic Front (UDF) appearing to head toward a landslide victory in the State.

UDF supporters in celebration mood while watching the counting updates at Kozhikode District Congress Committee office

Photo: K. Ragesh

The Congress-led UDF surged ahead in Kerala as counting of votes for the ssembly elections gathered pace, with early trends showing a clear advantage for the Opposition alliance in lines with exit poll predictions. After the first few rounds of counting, the United Democratic Front was leading in 100 of the 140 Assembly seats, while the CPI(M)-led ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) was ahead in just in 40 constituencies.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was leading in only one seat, according to television reports. - PTI

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) continued to hold the lead in six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Kannur district after four rounds of counting, though early trends pointed to setbacks in key strongholds, including Dharmadam. The most significant reversal came in Dharmadam, where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was pushed to second place, with United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate V. P. Abdul Rasheed extending his lead to 2,812 votes.

In Taliparamba, LDF candidate P. K. Shyamala also fell behind, as UDF-backed rebel T. K. Govindan took the lead by 974 votes.

- C.P. Sajit

LDF Minister for Sports V. Abdurahman appears headed for a defeat in Tirur, where he is trailing UDF incumbent Kurukkoli Moideen by 2,807 votes after two rounds of counting. Mr. Abdurahman, who had earlier defeated the IUML in Tanur in both 2016 and 2021, had posed a strong challenge for the UDF in Tirur as well, with his influence clearly visible during the campaign.

- Abdul Latheef Naha

As counting of votes continues in the hilly district of Idukki, UDF candidates are leading in all five Assembly constituencies: Devikulam, Udumbanchola, Idukki, Thodupuzha, and Peerumade.

Senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan has wrested lead from incumbent MLA V.K. Prasanth in the Vattiyurkavu constituency in Thiruvananthapuram. The UDF candidate currently leads by 1246 votes after the second round of counting.

- Sarath Babu George

The BJP’s hopes in Palakkad have begun to shake as UDF candidate Ramesh Pisharody moved ahead of BJP’s Sobha Surendran by the end of the third round of counting. Mr. Pisharody is now leading by 1,463 votes, while LDF-backed independent N.M.R. Razak trails by 8,921 votes.

- Abdul Latheef Naha

The initial two hours of counting of votes polled in the April 9 Kerala Assembly polls showed the Congress-led UDF taking a massive lead, as per news reports, indicating the front may claim power in the State. According to news reports, the UDF was ahead in over 90 seats, while the CPI(M)-led LDF was leading in under 50 seats, and the BJP-headed NDA was leading in around 5 seats.

The Election Commission figures indicated that the Congress was ahead in 50 seats, CPI(M) in 31, IUML in 17, CPI in 13, with Kerala Congress (M) ahead in 4, and the BJP, Kerala Congress (KEC) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leading in 3 seats each.

The trends appear to support the UDF’s claim that it would get a huge majority. - PTI

As counting continues in the hilly district of Idukki, UDF candidates are leading in all five constituencies: Devikulam, Udumbanchola, Idukki, Thodupuzha, and Peerumade.

- Sandeep Vellaram

LDF seems to be in for a rude shock in Alappuzha district as per initial trends. It trails in six out of the eight Assembly constituencies where it had swept all except Haripad where senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala won in 2021. M.S. Arunkumar and Saji Cherian are the lone LDF candidates who lead in Mavelikara and Chengannur Assembly constituencies respectively, albeit by slender margins of 84 votes and 782 votes.

In another blow to CPI(M), veteran Communist leader G. Sudhakaran who contested as independent candidate in Ambalappuzha Assembly constituency is leading by 1576 votes against his LDF rival H. Salam at the end of first round out of the 14 rounds.

- M.P. Praveen

Health Minister Veena George is trailing the UDF candidate Abin Varkey after three rounds of counting in Aranmula. Mr. Varkey has secured 11,767 votes, maintaining a lead of 3,642, while Ms. George has polled 8,125 votes. Kummanam Rajashekharan of the BJP is at the third position with 5330 votes.

- Hiran Unnikrishnan

LDF’s Minister for Excise and Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh was trailing by 1,091 votes in Thrithala against UDF’s V.T. Balram at the end of the second round of counting. Mr. Rajesh had defeated Mr. Balram in a fiercely contested battle in Thrithala in 2021, but early trends this time suggest a possible reversal of fortunes. 

- Abdul Lathef Naha

The third round of counting in Kundara in Kollam shows Congress’ P.C. Vishnunath surging ahead. He has amassed 14,589 votes, with a substantial lead of 4,204 over the LDF candidate, S.L. Sajikumar, who currently stands at 10,385 votes. Dr. Robin Radhakrishnan of the BJP is in third place with 3,144 votes.

- Navamy Sudhish

UDF supporters celebrating in Kochi on Saturday. 

Photo - H. Vibhu

In Peravoor, LDF candidate K K Shailaja takes lead, pushing down sitting MLA Sunny Joseph. In Taliparamba, a CPI (M) bastion after completion of second round, UDF backed candidate and CPI(M) rebel candidate T K Govindan leads by 974 votes.

- C.P. Sajit

At least seven Kerala ministers are trailing with the counting of votes progressing in the State.

Cooperation Minister V. N. Vasavan is trailing the UDF candidate Nattakam Suresh after three rounds of counting in Ettumanoor. Mr. Suresh has secured 15,368 votes, maintaining a lead of 6,636, while Mr. Vasavan has polled 8,732 votes. Athira D. Nair of the Twenty20 Party has received 2,446 votes

- Hiran Unnikrishnan

CPI(M)’s P. Rajeeve, the industries minister in the second Pinarai Vijayan-led LDF government, trails behind IUML’s V.E. Abdul Gafoor in Kalamassery constituency at the end of first round of counting. Mr. Rajeeve has polled 5,010 votes and Mr. Gafoor 5,770 votes in first round. NDA’s M.P. Binu has polled 1,102 votes.

- G. Ragesh

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second-largest constituent of the United Democratic Front (UDF), appears on track to secure more than 20 of the 27 seats it contested. Early trends suggest a clean sweep in Malappuram, the State’s largest district, where the party fielded candidates in 12 of the 16 constituencies.

The IUML also seems set to spring a few surprises. Notably, its candidate Fathima Tahilia has taken an early lead in Perambra against CPI(M)’s T.P. Ramakrishnan, signalling a potentially unexpected upset.

- Abdul Latheef Naha

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is trailing in Dharmadam constituency, where Congress candidate V P Abdul Rasheed has taken the lead, according to TV reports.

Vijayan, the face of the LDF in the Assembly election, is seeking a mandate from Dharmadam for the third time.

According to TV reports, Vijayan trailed by over 700 votes in the initial rounds of counting of EVMs.

The development would be considered significant as Dharmadam is regarded as an LDF stronghold.

However, the CPI(M) expects Vijayan to gain ground as counting progresses further. - PTI

Candidates of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) have taken the lead in all three constituencies in Wayanad after the initial rounds of counting of votes for the Assembly elections were completed. 

In the Mananthavady segment, CPI(M) candidate O.R. Kelu, a Minister in the present Cabinet, is trailing by 744 votes against his nearest rival, Usha Vijayan of the Congress. In Kalpetta, incumbent T. Siddique of Congress has taken a lead of 2,721 votes against P.K. Anil Kumar of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. I.C. Balakrishan of the Congress, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive term from the Sulthan Bathery Assembly constituency, is leading by 3,233 votes against his nearest rival M.S. Viswanathan of the CPI(M).

- Sam Paul A.

Of the two Ministers from Thrissur district, while Revenue Minister K. Rajan is leading in Ollur, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu is trailing.

Mr. Rajan has built a lead of 4,607 votes against UDF’s Shaji Kodankandath, while Ms. Bindu is behind UDF’s Thomas Unniyadan by 1,045 votes.

- Mini Muringatheri

K.K. Rema, incumbent MLA of the UDF, is trailing behind M.K. Bhaskaran of the LDF in Vadakara constituency in Kozhikode, Mr. Bhaskaran has got 4,922 votes and Ms. Rema 4,577 votes. K. Dileep of the NDA got 1,265 votes

- A.S. Jayanth

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar has maintained a consistent lead in the Nemom constituency. He currently holds a lead of 1302 votes over LDF candidate and General Education Minister V.Sivankutty, as per Election Commission of India’s updates. UDF candidate K.S.Sabarinadhan is in third position.

- S.R. Praveen

Kerala’s Opposition Leader V. D Satheesan is trailing by a margin of 243 votes against his rival E. T Taison of the Left front at the end of the first round of counting. Mr. Taison secured 4, 638 votes against 4, 395 votes won by Mr. Satheesan.

- G. Krishnakumar

UDF candidate P.K. Firoz is leading with 4,875 votes in Koduvally Assembly constituency. LDF‘s Saleem Madavoor is trailing with 4,083 votes, while BJP candidate Giri Pambanall has secured 929 votes so far. 

- Mithosh Joseph

LDF candidate Linto Joseph has taken an early lead with 6,334 votes in the first round of counting for the Thiruvambady constituency. UDF’s C.K. Kasim follows with 4,438 votes, while NDA candidate Sunny Thomas has secured 425 votes so far.

- Mithosh Joseph 

Mohammed Shiyas, Ernakulam DCC president and UDF candidate in Kochi Assembly constituency, leads by 832 votes when 3,811 votes were counted in the first round out of 18 rounds.

- M.P. Praveen

Congress’ Mathew Kuzhalnadan is ahead of CPI’s N. Arun in Muvattupuzha constituency by 1,666 votes as first round of counting is completed. Mr. Kuzhalnadan has won 6,154 votes against Mr. Arun’s 4,488. NDA’s Sunny Kadoothazhe polled only 744 votes in first round.

- G. Ragesh

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) surged ahead in seven of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Kannur district within the first hour of counting, establishing early leads in several key segments, including Payyannur and Taliparamba. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, contesting from Dharmadam, opened with a lead of 576 votes, reinforcing the Left’s early advantage in the constituency. The front also maintained leads in its sitting strongholds of Mattannur, Kuthuparamba, and Thalassery.

- C.P. Sajit

The weather is likely to be favourable for the winning candidates to celebrate after the counting on Monday

Tension prevailed at a strongroom in Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kalamassery in the initial minutes of vote counting as the key of the facility where EVMs of Kalamassery assembly constituency were kept went missing. The strongroom had to be broken open around 8.30 am as the officials could not find the key.

“Everything is going smoothly now,” an official said.

Kalamassery is one of the keenly watches constituencies with CPI(M) strongman and outgoing Industries Minister P. Rajeeve seeking reelection from there. Mr. Rajeeve faces UDF’s V E Abdul Gafoor and NDA’s M.P. Binu. 

- G. Ragesh

Initial trends following the commencement of counting of votes showed the Congress-led UDF leading in the state. According to news reports, UDF was leading in over 60 seats, while the CPI(M)-led LDF was ahead in over 50 seats.

The initial trends are based on the counting of postal ballots , which account for 1.36 per cent of the total votes polled. - PTI

Deepak Joy, UDF candidate in Thripunithura Assembly constituency, keeping track of counting of votes at his residence.

photo: special arrangement

Tight security arrangements have been made across Kerala for the counting of votes. As many as 32,300 police personnel, including 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces, have been deployed for security at counting centres across the State, officials said.

Strongrooms were opened in the morning in the persence of armed police officials.

The police have also taken preventive measures to curb any violence after the declaration of results. - PTI

The counting of votes polled in the April 9 Assembly elections began in Kerala at 8 a.m. Postal ballots are being counted first.

Initial trends are expected in a short while.

For counting the postal ballots, special counting tables have been arranged for every 500 votes.

Strongrooms where the electronic voting machines (EVM) and the Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units were stored were opened at 7 a.m. Votes are being counted at 43 locations. 

- Tiki Rajwi

Counting agents queue up outside a counting centre at Mar Ivanios Vidyanagar campus in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (May 4, 2026).

Photo Credit: Jayamohan A / The Hindu

Congress MP Jebi Mather expressed confidence that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will form the government in Keralam following the 2026 Assembly elections.

Speaking on the party’s prospects, the Congress leader said the outcome would reflect the will of the people.

“We are very confident that it’s going to be a very scintillating victory and that is the wish of the people of Keralam and the decision of the people of Keralam that it should be the Congress-led UDF government that should be in power,” she said.

Ms. Mather added that the Chief Minister would be a Congress leader, with the decision to be taken by elected MLAs and the party leadership.

-ANI

A short while from now, the counting of votes polled in the high-stakes, April 9 State Assembly elections will kick off in 140 counting centres across 43 locations in Kerala.

The southern State, which has 140 constituencies, had witnessed a high-voltage electoral battle between the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) this time. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP, which is hoping to reopen its account in the Assembly, remains a strong contender in several key segments.

Kerala had 883 candidates in the fray on April 9 when, as per the latest updates, 79.7% of the 2.71 crore-strong electorate exercised their franchise. The State went to the polling stations after a closely-watched Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll which saw the voter strength dip from 2.78 crore to 2.71 crore.

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Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan on Sunday said he hoped the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would retain power in Kerala while also predicting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would open its account in the Assembly this time.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Natesan said exit polls had only indicated a marginal edge for the United Democratic Front (UDF) and had not fully accounted for the BJP factor.

“Exit polls do not always get it right. The BJP is a major factor that has not been adequately considered. They will win several seats. The BJP claims it can win around 14 seats. They may not win that many, but they will certainly open their account,” he said.

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Around 15 locations in the district will be under heightened surveillance on Monday (May 4), with the police planning intense security arrangements in view of the declaration of the Assembly election results. Sensitive areas in the district include places such as Chengamanad, Pezhakkappilly, Binanipuram, Edathala, and Kunnathunadu.

All the sensitive locations fall within the Ernakulam Rural police limits. The sensitive locations were identified based on issues and scuffles reported during the election campaign. While the Kochi city police have not marked any specific location as ‘sensitive’, additional surveillance will be in place at points where supporters of political parties are likely to gather to watch and celebrate results. District Police Chief (Kochi city) Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar said a three-layer security as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines will be in place at Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kalamassery, where votes for six constituencies will be counted.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday (May 3, 2026) said it would uphold the “highest standards of transparency, security and efficiency” during the counting of votes on Monday (May 4, 2026) for the elections to the Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry and the bye-elections in seven Assembly constituencies of five States.

With just hours left for the counting of votes polled in the April 9 Assembly elections, Kerala’s voter turnout was updated provisionally to 79.7% on Sunday as election officials factored in 20,028 postal ballots of service voters polled till May 1. On the eve of counting day, the leadership of all three fronts exuded confidence about the results. With exit polls hinting at a United Democratic Front (UDF) comeback, the Congress-led Opposition led by V.D. Satheesan is already in a celebratory mood. 

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