Kerala Election Result 2026 highlights: All 140 seats declared, UDF seals decisive mandate

The final results show the UDF firmly ahead, with Congress emerging as the single-largest party. The LDF has been reduced significantly, marking the end of its tenure after two consecutive terms in power.

The BJP has won 3 seats, while Independents and smaller parties have a limited presence, reinforcing Kerala’s largely bipolar political landscape.

All results for the 140-member Kerala Assembly are now in, confirming a clear and decisive victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front. The alliance has comfortably crossed the majority mark, cementing its return to power in the state.

With the final tally in place, the scale of the UDF’s win underlines a strong anti-incumbency wave against the LDF government and a broad-based mandate across constituencies.

The ruling Left Democratic Front has fallen behind, with CPI(M) at 26 seats and CPI at 8, while smaller allies have managed marginal gains. The BJP has once again struggled to expand in Kerala, winning just 3 seats.

Independents have secured 3 seats and are leading in one more. With numbers nearly final, the UDF is now set to return to power, marking a significant political turnaround in the state.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front is poised for a decisive victory, comfortably crossing the majority mark in the 140-member House. The outcome signals a clear shift in voter sentiment after a decade of LDF rule.

The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, while IUML has secured 22 and Kerala Congress added 7. Allies like RSP and Kerala Congress (Jacob) have further strengthened the UDF’s winning tally.
 

The appointed observer is expected to travel to Kerala tomorrow to oversee the CLP proceedings and facilitate consensus on leadership. The crucial CLP meeting, where the leader of the legislature party will be chosen, is likely to take place the day after.

These developments come as the UDF prepares to formally stake claim to form the next government in the state.
 

Congress leader K C Venugopal is set to reach Delhi tonight as the party moves swiftly to initiate the government formation process in Kerala. Sources indicate that discussions at the central level are expected to shape the next steps.

The Congress is likely to appoint an observer for the Kerala Congress Legislature Party (CLP) later tonight, signalling the start of leadership consultations within the newly elected MLAs.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy congratulated leaders, workers and cadres of the Congress-led UDF alliance for what he described as an “extraordinary” and hard-fought victory in Kerala. He hailed the result as a historic mandate for the alliance.

Reddy also praised key leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal for steering the campaign, while thanking the people of Kerala for their support during his outreach in the state.

Congress MP K C Venugopal said the UDF effectively capitalised on strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling LDF government in Kerala. He noted that public dissatisfaction played a key role in shaping the electoral outcome.

Venugopal also claimed that voters responded positively to leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while alleging that corruption under the LDF government influenced the mandate in favour of the UDF.

The ruling Left Democratic Front has fallen significantly behind, with CPI(M) at 26 seats and CPI at 8, while smaller allies have made only marginal contributions. The alliance’s tally stands at 37, marking a sharp reversal from its previous dominance.

Meanwhile, the BJP has won 3 seats, and Independents account for 4, indicating limited impact beyond the two main fronts. With numbers firmly in its favour, the UDF is now set to form the next government in Kerala..

The Congress-led United Democratic Front has surged ahead in the Kerala Assembly elections 2026, delivering a commanding performance and moving well past the majority mark. The alliance’s strong showing across regions signals a decisive shift in voter sentiment.

At the centre of this surge is the Congress, which has won 63 seats, while IUML has secured 21 and is leading in one more, taking its tally to 22. Allies like Kerala Congress, RSP and others have further strengthened the coalition’s position.
 

The Left Democratic Front has been reduced to 35 seats, with CPI(M) winning 26 and CPI securing 8, marking a sharp fall from its previous performance. RJD managed to pick up one seat.

The BJP has won three seats, improving its presence in the Assembly, while Independents and smaller parties accounted for the remaining seats, indicating limited space outside the two main alliances.

The United Democratic Front has swept poll with 99 seats, signalling a decisive return to power. The Congress led the charge with 63 seats, while IUML added 22, giving the alliance a dominant edge across the state.

Smaller allies including Kerala Congress factions, RSP and others also contributed, reflecting a broad-based mandate in favour of the UDF.
 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge thanked the people of Kerala for placing their trust in the party and the United Democratic Front, calling the verdict a turning point for the state’s governance. He said the mandate reflects confidence in a people-centric development model.

Kharge also praised party leaders, workers and allies for their relentless campaign efforts, adding that the Congress remains committed to restoring Kerala’s “lost glory” through welfare-driven and inclusive policies.

The Left Democratic Front has been limited to just 35 seats, with CPI(M) securing 26 and CPI winning 8, marking a sharp decline from its previous tally. Smaller allies like RJD managed to win a lone seat.

Meanwhile, the BJP-led alliance won 3 seats, while others, including Independents and smaller parties, accounted for the remaining seats, highlighting a fragmented opposition beyond the two main fronts.

The United Democratic Front has delivered a commanding performance in Kerala, winning 99 seats and comfortably crossing the majority mark in the Assembly. The Congress emerged as the biggest contributor with 63 seats, followed by IUML with 22, reinforcing the alliance’s dominance.

Other UDF partners including Kerala Congress factions and smaller allies also chipped in, underlining a broad-based mandate for the coalition.

The projected UDF victory marks more than just a regime change, hinting at a generational shift in Kerala politics after the era of stalwarts like K Karunakaran and Oommen Chandy.

Leaders such as V D Satheesan, Sunny Joseph, Ramesh Chennithala and K C Venugopal are now at the forefront, with discussions around the next Chief Minister gaining traction as the alliance edges closer to forming the government.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is currently leading in Dharmadam by 11,800 votes, polling 74,476 votes after 13 rounds against Congress candidate V P Abdul Rasheed. His position remains steady despite the broader setbacks faced by the LDF.

Meanwhile, in Nemom, Kerala minister V Sivankutty is trailing BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar by 1,789 votes after 11 rounds, indicating a tightly contested battle in the constituency.
 

Early trends indicate a decisive turnaround in Kerala, with the Congress-led UDF leading in around 95 seats, well ahead of the LDF’s 36. The scale of the lead points to strong anti-incumbency against the ruling Left front.

The UDF’s resurgence follows consistent gains in recent elections, with voter dissatisfaction and key controversies likely impacting the LDF’s performance. A return to power after a decade now appears imminent.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala reaffirmed his dominance in Kerala politics, winning Haripad by a margin of 23,377 votes over CPI’s T T Jismon after 15 rounds of counting. Chennithala secured 68,184 votes against Jismon’s 44,807.

In Puthuppally, Chandy Oommen, son of former CM Oommen Chandy, registered a massive victory, defeating CPI(M)’s K M Radhakrishnan by 52,907 votes, signalling strong UDF momentum.
 

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan thanked the people of Kerala for delivering a “resounding victory” to the United Democratic Front, calling the mandate a reflection of public trust in the alliance’s vision. He said the outcome marks a decisive political shift in the state.

Satheesan also credited Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders for an aggressive statewide campaign, adding that he has fulfilled his promise of bringing the UDF back to power with a “brilliant victory.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed gratitude to the people of Kerala, thanking them for their “overwhelming support” and trust in the United Democratic Front (UDF). In a message shared on social media, she said the mandate would guide the alliance’s work over the next five years.

Highlighting Wayanad’s result, she noted that the UDF won all 7 seats in the district, calling it a “resounding mandate” and promising committed development efforts backed by a united team of representatives.

Kerala PWD and Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas has secured a key victory for the Left Democratic Front by winning the Beypore assembly seat. His win stands out as one of the few bright spots for the LDF, which faced a broader electoral setback in the April 9 state assembly polls.

Despite the larger anti-incumbency wave, Riyas managed to hold his ground in Beypore, underlining his local connect and organisational strength.

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Monday attributed the alliance’s performance to prevailing anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling LDF government.

“There was clear anti-incumbency against the government in the public mood, and we capitalised on that sentiment,” Venugopal said, reacting to the counting trends.

He further noted that the popularity of national Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, played a significant role in shaping voter preferences in the state.

“The people of Kerala like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra a lot,” he said, adding that dissatisfaction with the incumbent government’s performance also contributed to the electoral outcome.

Venugopal, who is one of the possible Chief Minister faces, alleged that corruption under the LDF regime had further alienated voters, reinforcing the swing in favour of the UDF.

BJP candidate in Nemom, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a former Union Minister and BJP Kerala unit chief, has won, defeating CPI(M) veteran and minister V Sivankutty. Congress’s KS Sabarinadhan secured third place.

Muslim League’s Fathima Thahaliya won the Perambra constituency in Kozhikode, becoming the party’s first woman MLA. She defeated CPI(M)’s TP Ramakrishnan, a former minister, in a CPI(M) stronghold.

The Congress-led alliance in Kerala is leading in 101 seats, its highest-ever tally in the state. The LDF is in second place with 34 seats, while the BJP is leading in just two seats.

Several candidates who were dissatisfied with CPI(M) and contested against the Left, aligning with the Congress-led UDF, are leading in multiple seats, in a significant embarrassment for the ruling party.

Former senior CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran, who did not renew his party membership alleging he had been sidelined by the district leadership, was leading in Ambalapuzha against sitting MLA H Salam.

TK Govindan, who exited the party after CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan’s wife PK Shyamala was fielded from Thaliparamba, was also leading in the Left stronghold.

Similarly, Kunhikrishnan, who was expelled from the party after raising allegations of corruption within CPI(M), was leading against sitting MLA TI Madhusoodanan, who had won the seat in 2021 by nearly 50,000 votes.

However, PK Sasi, a former CPI(M) leader contesting as an Independent from Ottapalam, and former CPI(M) MLA Aisha Potty, who joined Congress and is contesting against Finance Minister K N Balagopal in Kottarakkara, failed to make any breakthrough.

  BJP’s BB Gopakumar won the Chathannoor Assembly seat in Thiruvananthapuram by 3,686 votes against CPI’s R Rajendran. Congress’s Sooraj Ravi finished third.

CK Kasim of the Indian Union Muslim League won Thiruvambadi with a margin of 6,741 votes against CPI(M)’s Linto Joseph. Twenty20 Party’s Sunny Thomas, an ally of the NDA, came third. 

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Monday attributed the Congress-led UDF’s emphatic victory in the Kerala Assembly elections to coordinated leadership and a decisive anti-incumbency wave against the ruling Left government.

"The collective effort of all leaders has delivered this victory, and that unity will continue going forward. Consolidation in favour of the UDF’s agenda, coupled with strong anti-incumbency against the government, played a decisive role in our success," Chennithala said.

"For the first time, a Communist government in India has been voted out, marking a significant political shift. This defeat should serve as a lesson, as the government’s authoritarian attitude and dictatorial policies have led to such a rout in the state," he added.

On the Chief Minister post, he said, "The party’s high command will take a final call on the chief ministerial candidate and outline the future course of action."

Congress' Chandy Oommen retained his home turf Puthuppally by a massive margin of 52,907 votes. He is the son of former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The NDA is leading in two seats in Kerala.

Former Union Minister and BJP’s state unit president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is leading in Nemom against CPI(M) veteran V Sivankutty and Congress’s KS Sabarinadhan.

In the Chathannoor seat, BJP’s BB Gopakumar is leading against CPI’s R Rajendran and Congress’s Sooraj Ravi.

Congress’s Rajan J Pallan won the Thrissur seat by a margin of 26,803 votes against LDF candidate Alankode Leelakrishnan. BJP’s Padmaja Venugopal finished third.

Congress leader Bindhu Krishna won the Kollam Assembly seat by 16,830 votes against CPI(M)’s S Jayamohan. BJP’s Prathap Kumar finished third.

As counting trends pointed to a strong surge for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), party leader Muhammad Shiyas on Monday said the results reflected widespread public anger against the Left government led by Pinarayi Vijayan.

Speaking in Kochi, Shiyas said the electorate had "clearly expressed its protest" against what he described as arrogance in governance and a failure to deliver people-centric development. "People were protesting against the government, and we had recognised that sentiment. The continued rule given by the people was met with arrogance, which only alienated the public further," he said.

"There has never been a government that challenged the people in this manner, and this is the response to that attitude," he added. 

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has won the Haripad Assembly constituency with a margin of over 23,000 votes against CPI(M)’s T T Jismon and BJP’s Sandheep Vachaspathi. Chennithala is among the Chief Ministerial contenders in Congress.

Congress leader Muhammad Shiyas said the election outcome reflects public anger against the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan.

He said protests against the government had been visible and alleged that continued rule was met with “arrogance,” which further alienated people. Shiyas added that failure to implement development projects and alleged corruption in administration led to the public response seen in the elections.

Out of the 42 seats in the northern belt, the Congress alliance is leading in 42 seats, while the LDF is ahead in 19.

Out of the 29 seats in central Kerala, the UDF is leading in 23, while the LDF is ahead in six.

In both these regions, the BJP has not opened its account.

In south Kerala, the UDF is leading in 30 of the 48 seats, while the LDF is ahead in 13. The BJP is leading in two seats here.

The UDF is leading in 96 seats as counting continues, while the LDF is ahead in 39 seats.

UDF ally KK Rema, the widow of TP Chandrasekharan, who was hacked to death in 2012, is leading in the Vatakara constituency.

CPI(M) candidate R Bindu, who was the Higher Education Minister in the LDF government, is trailing in the Irinjalakuda seat, where Congress’s Thomas Unniyadan is leading. BJP’s Santhosh Cherakulam is in third place.

The Indian Union Muslim League, a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF, is leading in 23 seats, according to the Election Commission.

The seats are: Manjeshwaram, Kasaragod, Kuttiadi, Perambra, Kozhikode South, Kunnamangalam, Koduvally, Thiruvambadi, Kondotty, Ernad, Manjeri, Perinthalmanna, Mankada, Malappuram, Vengara, Vallikunnu, Tirurangadi, Tanur, Tirur, Kottakkal, Mannarkkad, Guruvayoor, Kalamassery. 

Senior Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph and Shashi Tharoor, gathered at the party's headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate after the UDF crossed the halfway mark in trends. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is now leading in the Dharmadom seat after trailing for multiple consecutive rounds against Congress’s VP Abdul Rasheed.

The Congress is steadily maintaining its lead at 95 seats, while the Left Front is in second place with 41 seats. The BJP is leading in 2 seats as counting continues.

  BJP candidate in Poonjar, PC George, is trailing in third place, where the Kerala Congress (Mani) candidate of the Left Front is leading. The Congress candidate is in second place with a narrow margin.

Congress candidate K Muraleedharan is leading in the Vattiyoorkavu seat in Thiruvananthapuram district, with CPI(M)’s sitting MLA VK Prasanth in second place. BJP’s R Sreelekha, a former DGP, is trailing in third place.

Congress’s VP Abdul Rasheed, who is leading against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Dharmadom, said the trend is like “a miracle”.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan continues to trail in his Dharmadom seat as firth round counting proceeds. He was trailing in the initial rounds as well.

The BJP is currently leading in only one seat, Nemom, where BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar is ahead of the LDF’s V Sivankutty, a former minister.

The Congress-led UDF has crossed 100 seats in the leads as early rounds of counting are underway in Kerala. The Left Front is in second position, while the BJP is currently leading on only one seat.

Former Union Minister V Muraleedharan of BJP is trailing in Kazhakoottam, where CPI(M)’s Kadakampally Surendran is leading. Congress’s T Prasad is in third place.

Congress edges closer to 100 seats in leads, with the Left Front leading in 44 seats. The BJP is now ahead in just two seats as counting progresses.

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition, VD Satheesan, is leading in the Paravoor seat.

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, when asked about the prospects of KC Venugopal becoming Chief Minister, said, “That’s a very loaded question. It is very premature to comment on post-poll scenarios.”

CPI(M)’s KK Shailaja, former health minister, is leading in the Peravoor seat against KPCC president Sunny Joseph.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is trailing in the second round, and 12 of his Cabinet colleagues are also trailing in early trends as counting continues.

Kerala’s Health Minister from CPI(M) is trailing in the Aranmula constituency, while Congress’s Abin Varkey is leading.

BJP’s Shobha Surendran is leading in Palakkad, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar is leading in Nemom, which are the party's two key seats. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the CPI(M) leader, is trailing in the Dharmadom seat.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the current trends ensure a victory for Congress, though he cautioned against early celebrations.

"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 said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of the CPI(M) is leading from the Dharmadam seat in Kannur. 

Kerala's Devaswom Minister, VN Vasavan, is trailing by 1181 votes in Ettumanoor in Kottayam district. 

The Congress-led UDF is maintaining a steady lead with 48 seats, while the ruling Left is leading in 13 seats and the BJP has slipped to third place with 10 seats.

  In Alappuzha’s Ambalapuzha constituency, G Sudhakaran, who broke away from CPI(M) and is contesting as an Independent, is leading.

BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar is leading in Nemom constituency. Congress's KS Sabarinadhan and CPM's V Sivankutty are trailing.

The Congress-led UDF is leading in 14 seats. 

The Congress’s lead has risen to 9 seats in Kerala in very early trends.

The CPI(M)-led Left is leading in 4 seats, behind the BJP, which is leading in 5 seats.

The UDF, comprising Congress, the Muslim League and others, is leading in seven seats in very early trends, while the LDF stands at three seats. The BJP is leading in one seat.

The Congress-led UDF is leading in 5 seats in very early trends. 

The Congress-led UDF leads in 4 seats, the Left alliance and the BJP is leading in 1 seat each in very early trends. 

Left Democratic Front convenor TP Ramakrishnan said, “The LDF will win with a bigger mandate, we strongly believe. The LDF government will continue, and I will win from the Perambra seat. There is no basis for Congress’s claims.”

Left or the Congress, who will emerge as the gainer and who will lose today?

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The UDF candidate for Vizhinjam, M Vincent, expressed his confidence in victory, saying, “I am happy that I am going to win, happier that UDF will form government after 10 years”.

The 2021 Kerala Assembly election delivered a historic consecutive victory for the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), marking the first time in decades that an incumbent government was re-elected in the state.

The LDF won 99 of the 140 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured 41 seats. The BJP-led NDA failed to win any seat. 

In the single-phase Assembly polls held on April 9, Kerala recorded a voter turnout of 79.7 per cent, according to Chief Electoral Officer Rathan Kelkar. The final voter turnout will be confirmed only after the counting, when the Election Commission releases the Index Card.

A majority of exit polls in Kerala indicate that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan may face a decisive anti-incumbency verdict, with projections suggesting a return to power for the Congress-led UDF with an estimated around 77 seats for the UDF against 55 for the Left Front. Today’s Chanakya forecast pointed to a tighter race, giving the UDF 69 seats, the LDF 64, and the NDA 7, with others likely to secure a solitary seat.

Hello and welcome to India Today’s live coverage of the Kerala Assembly election results. Will Kerala voters deliver a historic hat-trick term for the Left alliance led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, or will the Congress make a comeback? Or will the results give the BJP a kingmaker role? Stay tuned for live updates.