The 2026 Kerala Assembly election has witnessed a seismic shift as the United Democratic Front (UDF) has consolidated its lead and crossed the magic 100-figure mark. The Congress-led front is now leading in 102 seats, while the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is trailing far behind with 37 seats. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has seen its lead restricted to the Nemom constituency.
Chief Minister Trails in Bastion
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan continues to trail in his stronghold of Dharmadam even after the fourth round of vote counting. The CM is behind the UDF's V. P. Abdul Rasheed by over 2,000 votes. The 'UDF Wave' has reached deep into the cabinet, with 13 ministers currently trailing, including prominent figures like P. Rajeeve, K. B. Ganesh Kumar, Veena George, and R. Bindu.
LDF Veterans Fight Back
However, some LDF veterans are putting up a strong fight. Shailaja Teacher is seeing her lead increase in Peravoor, and Minister Muhammed Riyas is currently holding a lead in his constituency. Despite the overall trend, these pockets of resistance remain.
UDF Leaders Secure Comfortable Leads
Several UDF leaders have established commanding leads. Senior leaders like V. D. Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and P. K. Kunhalikutty have all secured stable leads after initial jitters. In Ernakulam district, a near-complete UDF sweep is underway, with candidates such as Mathew Kuzhalnadan (Muvattupuzha), T. J. Vinod (Ernakulam), Deepak Joy (Tripunithura), and Roji M. John (Angamaly) leading comfortably.
Key Constituencies and Battles
In Alappuzha, UDF-backed independent candidate G. Sudhakaran is leading by a massive margin of 10,644 votes. Palakkad is witnessing a nail-biter where UDF's Ramesh Pisharody is locked in a fierce battle with NDA's Shobha Surendran. Similarly, in Vattiyoorkavu, K. Muraleedharan (UDF) and V. K. Prasanth (LDF) are neck-and-neck. The NDA's lead has dipped from earlier five seats to just one, with Rajeev Chandrasekhar leading in Nemom.
UDF Poised to Form Government
As the afternoon rounds approach, the UDF appears poised to form the next government with a thumping majority, marking a decisive return to the state's traditional alternating power structure. UDF workers have started celebrations in many constituencies, reflecting the party's strong performance across the state.
