Kerala Assembly Election Results 2026: From ladoos to biryani, parties gear up for results day

Thiruvananthapuram: The counting day eve of the Kerala assembly election witnessed party workers gearing up for celebrations by making arrangements for ladoos to biryani and party leaders and supporters offering prayers.

Leaders of all political parties continued to express high hopes regardless of the outcomes of the exit polls. Congress-led United Democratic Front camps are in high spirits as exit polls have predicted the return of UDF to power after ten years.

The high level of confidence in the Congress camps were evident as a large pandal (temporary shed) was set-up in front of Indira Bhavan, the headquarters of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday.

Congress local leaders said that party workers and leaders in large numbers would be coming  to Indira Bhavan to celebrate the victory. Moreover arrangements are also made to watch the counting updates.

Party local leaders across the state also made arrangements for sweet distribution.

In Malappuram district, Congress-UDF workers even made arrangements for preparing biryani to celebrate the election victory. Arrangements for making biryani for at least 5,000 persons were made, said UDF workers of Pandikkad in Malappuram. Cultural programmes will also be organized to celebrate the election victory, they added.

While BJP-NDA workers were also making arrangements for sweet distribution as the saffron party is likely to reopen account in Kerala, left-front camps seem to be quite anxious about the election results even as the party leaders were still expressing high hopes.

Amidst the race for the Chief Minister post in Kerala, AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi told reporters that the UDF allies had left the decision on the chief minister candidate to the Congress.

The normal process of the party in finalising the Chief Minister candidate will be followed, she said.

Meanwhile, a supporter of Congress senior leader Ramesh Chennithala offered a prayer service at  Parumala church in Pathanamthitta for fulfilling his wish of Chennithala becoming the Chief Minister. Recently a supporter of AICC general secretary K C Venugopal made an offering for him at a temple in Palakkad.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan offered prayers at the Kollur Sri Mookambika devi temple the other day. Posters supporting Satheesan continued to appear at many parts of the state. 

Polling percent reaches 79.70 percent

While the counting will begin at 8 am, a clear trend is likely to emerge in two hours.

Kerala chief electoral officer Rathan Kelkar told reporters that strict instructions have been given to officials to  ensure utmost transparency and accuracy in the counting procedures. The officials were instructed not to rush through the procedures. "Any lapse will invite strict disciplinary action. There is no award for finishing the counting first," he said.

He also said that the polling percent slightly increased to 79.70 percent considering the service votes received so far. Earlier the polling percent was 79.63 percent. A final figure of the voter turnout will be published after the counting only, he said.