Kerala Election Exit Poll Result 2026 LIVE Updates: Tight race as Vijayan eyes third phase, Congress-led UDF pushes for comeback
Kerala Election Exit Poll Result 2026 LIVE Updates: Exit polls are set to offer first projections in a closely fought contest between LDF, UDF and BJP.
Kerala Election Exit Poll Result 2026 LIVE Updates: Results for the Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 are set to be declared on May 4, after voting was held on April 9. Exit polls are expected to be released today, offering an early indication of how the contest between major alliances may unfold.
High-stakes battleground: Voting for the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala concluded on April 9 with a high voter turnout. Kerala has emerged as a high-stakes political battleground. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by Pinarayi Vijayan is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term after breaking the state’s long-standing pattern of alternating governments, making the outcome crucial for both his political future and the Left’s position nationally. Meanwhile, Congress-led UDF under V D Satheesan is relying on anti-incumbency sentiment and corruption allegations to position itself as the agent of change.
BJP’s high hopes: At the same time, the BJP, led in Kerala by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is pushing for a historic breakthrough, with an intense campaign, visible friction within the INDIA bloc, and closely contested opinion polls pointing to a tight race that could ultimately hinge on the performance of smaller parties and independent candidates.
Kerala’s Assembly election battle has intensified with fresh allegations of “tacit deals” among the CPI(M)-led LDF, Congress-led UDF and the BJP, turning the campaign more confrontational despite its initial focus on development.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan has accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of having an understanding with the BJP in key constituencies, a charge the Left has strongly denied while countering that the Congress has historically aligned with the saffron party.
The controversy has gained traction amid the BJP’s growing presence in seats like Nemom and Thiruvananthapuram, where state BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar is contesting, making its vote share increasingly decisive in close contests.
Kerala’s 2026 Assembly polls, which recorded a strong overall turnout of 78.27%, have thrown up contrasting regional trends, with urban constituencies, especially in Thiruvananthapuram, seeing a notable rise in voter participation, while several CPI(M) strongholds in Kannur registered a slight dip.
Kerala’s Assembly election campaign has seen an intensified battle over secular credentials, with both the CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF accusing each other of tacit understandings with rival ideological groups, signalling that the contest is no longer one-sided.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has positioned the election as a choice between a “reliable” Left and a Congress that could indirectly benefit the BJP, while Opposition leader V D Satheesan has countered by highlighting alleged inconsistencies within the Left.
On April 9, Kerala saw robust voter participation despite an 8.63% drop in its electorate following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with the total voter base reducing from 2.78 crore to 2.71 crore.
Women voters led the turnout at 80.86%, higher than men at 75.01%, as polling crossed 75% in all 14 districts and surpassed the 76% turnout recorded in 2021, with several constituencies already reporting over 80% participation before final figures.
It was the first election in Kerala and Puducherry since the electoral rolls' Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was finished in February of this year.
Kerala’s electoral battle has sharpened into a direct contest between continuity and change, with the CPI(M)-led LDF centring its campaign on governance, infrastructure and welfare, while branding the previous UDF regime as a “dark period.” In contrast, the Congress-led UDF, under V D Satheesan, is attempting to capitalise on voter fatigue after a decade of Left rule, highlighting issues such as price rise, unemployment and rural distress.
Exit polls in Kerala’s 2021 Assembly elections largely predicted an LDF win but underestimated the scale of its victory, while overestimating the Opposition UDF’s performance.
The LDF eventually secured 99 seats against the UDF’s 41, significantly outperforming most projections.
Read details about all 4 states: West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala here.
Kerala assembly elections exit polls are expected to be released today. Stay tuned for live updates.
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