UDF Takes Early Lead in Kerala as Counting Begins; Several LDF Ministers Trail

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) surged ahead in early trends of the Kerala Assembly election results as counting of votes got underway across the state on Monday. According to initial figures, the UDF was leading in close to 86 constituencies, while the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) was ahead in around 46 seats. The BJP-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was leading in about two constituencies.

As the counting progressed, a notable development emerged with at least seven ministers from the ruling LDF government trailing in their respective seats, indicating a potentially significant political shift. However, in the initial rounds, both UDF and LDF were seen locked in a tight contest, leading in 41 seats each, while the BJP was ahead in five constituencies—highlighting the fluid nature of early trends.

A clearer picture of the final outcome is expected to emerge by the afternoon as more rounds of counting are completed.

The counting process began with postal ballots, which account for 1.36 per cent of the total votes polled. Election officials have made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth counting, with special tables designated for postal ballots. Each table is handling up to 500 votes under the supervision of an assistant returning officer.

In total, 15,464 personnel have been deployed for the counting exercise. This includes 140 returning officers, 1,340 additional returning officers, 4,208 micro observers, 4,208 counting supervisors, and 5,563 counting assistants.

Polling for the 140-member Kerala Assembly was conducted on April 9, with a total of 883 candidates in the fray. The state has an electorate of 2,71,42,952 voters, out of which an impressive 79.63 per cent cast their votes across all constituencies.

Most exit polls had predicted a close contest between the UDF and LDF, though many gave a slight edge to the Congress-led alliance. With counting still underway, political parties and leaders remain on edge as they await the final verdict from the electorate.