Kerala Election Result 2026 Live: Pinarayi Vijayan Trails As UDF Takes Early Lead On 56 Seats, LDF Ahead On 30

In a major early jolt for the LDF, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is trailing as Congress's Adv. V P Abdul Rasheed lead by 2,523 votes in Dharmadam constituency after Round 2 of 15.

When asked by PTI if he will be a contender for the CM’s post, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “We have got enough contenders... There should be a revival of Kerala, and I hope to be of some use to the new government.”

Former BJP state president PK Krishnadas expressed “full confidence” in the party’s performance, asserting that the NDA is set to emerge as a decisive force in Kerala’s evolving political landscape. He said the state is witnessing a shift from traditional bipolar politics to a triangular contest.

Speaking to ANI, Krishnadas said, “We have good expectations. In this election, we will win many of the seats out of 140. We have full confidence in this election. After this election, NDA will become the deciding factor in Kerala politics.”

He further added, “At present, Kerala has bipolar politics, with LDF on one side and UDF on the other. But in this election, you can see a tripolar election in Kerala...”

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Trails As UDF Takes Early Lead On 56 Seats, LDF Ahead On 30 as counting continues. 

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "The encouraging thing is that within an hour and a quarter, there seems to be a very clear trend in our favour and even some reasonably popular politicians from the LDF are trailing...I think it's very clear that the Kerala electorate has to be congratulated. They have decided it's time for a change. And even people whose individual popularity we are not disputing seem to be behind. This, I think, is a very good sign. And for us in the UDF, we are not going to make any premature celebrations. But I can see that it'll take already a major reversal for things to look very different..."

He gave the statement to ANI. 

Early counting trends show Adv. Thomas Unniyadan (Kerala Congress) leading in Irinjalakuda with 4,815 votes and a margin of 1,045 after the first round. In Kaduthuruthy, Adv. Mons Joseph (Kerala Congress) is ahead with 4,750 votes, maintaining a margin of 1,631 in the opening round of counting.

 BJP state president Rajeev Chandrashekhar said, 

"I don't want to say anything about the results. Let us wait for the election results to be fully out before I comment. However, I certainly want to take this opportunity to wish all my 'karyakartas', candidates of the NDA, the very best. We have worked very hard and we have put forth a message for the future of Kerala and I am very confident that whatever be the result, the politics of Kerala will change decisively and permanently after these elections."

He gave the statement to PTI. 

As EVM votes are counted, early trends at 9 am indicated that the UDF continues to hold the lead in Kerala.

Sumesh Achuthan is leading in the Chittur constituency in Palakkad district as counting continues.

UDF Takes Early Lead On 33 Seats, LDF On 16; BJP Ahead On 5 Seats

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, The Hindu reported. 

“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. 

Initial trends following the commencement of counting of votes polled in the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections showed the Congress-led UDF leading in the state.

Visuals from the residence of State LoP and Congress candidate from Paravur Assembly Constituency, VD Satheesan as party supporters keep a track on the counting of votes.

Congress MP Jebi Mather says, "Its going to be a great victory for the Congress-led UDF. We are expecting over 100 seats and definitely above 85... There is no doubt about the fact that Kerala will have a Congress Chief Minister and the UDF government..."

Congress workers, leaders gather at Contentment House to watch assembly election results as counting of votes 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. 

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.