In Kerala, where power has historically alternated between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), the assembly election is shaping up as a test of whether that tradition will hold or finally be broken. After scripting history in 2021 by retaining power, the Left now faces a resurgent Congress-led opposition determined to reclaim lost ground. Whether the Left or the Congress emerges victorious on May 4, the battle would be closely watched for signals of continuity or a decisive political shift in one of India’s most politically aware states.
Voting was held in Kerala on April 9, and the votes will be counted on May 4. There is a contest between the ruling LDF, the opposition UDF, and the BJP-led NDA. Kerala has a total of 2,71,42,952 voters, of whom 79.63 per cent cast their votes across 140 Assembly constituencies. A total of 883 candidates contested the election for 140 seats in the state.
As mentioned earlier, Kerala seems a direct contest between the UDF and the LDF, with the BJP-led NDA trying to expand its influence.
The ruling LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is hopeful of retaining power for a third consecutive term. The LDF had won 99 seats in the last assembly election. While matching the tally appears unlikely, LPF is expecting around 80 seats. 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.
Meanwhile, for the Congress-led UDF, the Kerala assembly election is being viewed as a do-or-die battle. It has remained out of power since 2016. The UDF, driven by its performance in Lok Sabha polls, Assembly bypolls, and local body elections, is optimistic about a win. The bloc had already began discussing the possible chief ministerial candidate. It had won 41 seats in the last assembly elections.
The BJP-led NDA, although not in contention to form the government, views the election as crucial to expanding its footprint in Kerala after failing to win any seats in 2021. The alliance is also closely watching its vote share, targeting more than 20 per cent this time.
Preparations are underway for counting of votes, said the office of the chief electoral officer in the state. There are 140 counting centres across 43 locations, with the process scheduled to begin at 8 am on Monday.
Officials said that 15,464 personnel have been deployed for the exercise, comprising 140 returning officers, 1,340 additional returning officers, 4,208 micro observers, 4,208 counting supervisors, and 5,563 counting assistants.
The strong rooms where the EVMs and VVPAT units have been kept will be opened first, followed by the Ballot boxes. 25 companies of central forces deployed alongside state police personnel to guard the counting centres.
The exit polls have predicted an edge for the UDF. While the exact seat tallies vary across agencies, the broad trend suggests the Congress-led alliance may cross the majority mark in the 140-member Assembly.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
