Kerala Election Result 2026 Live: UDF Eyes Comeback as Pinarayi Vijayan-Led LDF Fights to Hold Ground, Counting Underway

Kerala state’s Congress president Sunny Joseph says, “We are fully hopeful. We will win. This will be a repetition of the local body results. We are very confident that we will win. Number we cannot predict…” 

Visuals from Union Christian (UC) College in Aluva, Kochi, which is the primary counting centre for the Ernakulam district. 

VIDEO | Kerala Polls Results 2026: Visuals of strong room from UC College in Aluva, Kochi.

Polling for the 140-member Assembly was held on April 9.#KeralaPollResults2026 #Results2026WithPTI #AssemblyElectionResults2026

(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/TtsB8kAK5i

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026

Counting of votes polled in the Kerala Assembly elections began at 140 centres across the state.

UDF candidate for Vizhinjam M Vincent confident of victory, says “I am happy that I am going to win, happier that UDF will form government after 10 years”. He gave the statement to ANI. 

Congress Party cadres arrive at Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of counting.

A defeat for the LDF would also mark the first time since the 1960s that Left parties are not in power in any Indian state.

Kerala voted on April 9, following the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and recorded 78.27% polling, a turnout higher than any in recent Assembly elections. Out of the 140 constituencies, 42 seats recorded more than 80% polling.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan changed his social media bio on Sunday, one day ahead of the counting of votes for the recently held Assembly elections in the State.

The changed bio of Vijayan now reads “Polit Bureau Member, Communist Party of India (Marxist)”.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is eyeing a historic third consecutive term from his home turf. While the constituency is a storied fortress for the Left, the 2026 race is shaping up to be more than just a victory lap, both from the United Democratic Front led by the Congress and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The UDF had fielded VP Abdul Rasheed against the Chief Minister, whereas on the other hand, K. Ranjith contested on the BJP’s ticket.

The BJP, led in Kerala by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is pushing hard for a historic breakthrough in the state, backed by an intense and wide-ranging campaign. The visible cracks within the INDIA bloc, combined with what promises to be a closely fought contest, suggest that the final outcome could well come down to the performance of smaller parties and independent candidates.

The CPI(M)-led LDF is seeking a rare third consecutive term in power, which would further cement its break from Kerala's long-standing tradition of alternating governments between the Left and the Congress. The outcome carries significant weight, both for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's political future and for the Left's standing on the national stage.

On the other side, the Congress-led UDF under V D Satheesan is banking on anti-incumbency sentiment and corruption allegations against the ruling dispensation to project itself as the voice of change in the state.

A look at Kerala's last three Assembly elections points to deep-rooted political loyalties across the state. Of the 140 seats, 87 have stayed with the same parties since 2011, reflecting how entrenched voter allegiances remain largely unchanged over the years.
Geographically, the CPI(M)-led LDF under Pinarayi Vijayan has continued to dominate several northern districts, while the Congress-led UDF has maintained its stronghold in central Kerala. The IUML, meanwhile, remains the undisputed force in Malappuram.

If the Congress-led UDF alliance wins Kerala, the question of who will become Chief Minister remains wide open. Several senior leaders are in the running for the top post, with exit polls not only predicting a UDF victory but also pointing to Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan as the most preferred CM candidate among voters.

However, the race is not settled yet. Alongside Satheesan, veteran leaders Ramesh Chennithala and K C Venugopal have also been cited as strong contenders for the Chief Minister's chair, making the final decision one to watch closely.

Multiple exit polls have projected a victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. However, many surveys suggested a narrow margin, indicating a close contest between the UDF and the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

In Kerala’s 140-member Legislative Assembly, the halfway mark required to form a government is 71 seats. In 2021, the CPI (M)-led LDF formed the government in the state after winning 99 of the 140 assembly seats. The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government has been in power in Kerala since 2016.