Kerala Assembly Election Results 2026 | UDF makes historic comeback in Kerala, BJP reopens account with three seats

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is returning to power in Kerala after ten years with a historic victory in 102 seats in the 140 member assembly, presenting a worst ever defeat for the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the lone state where the left-front has been in power.

The LDF that won 99 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections is now reduced to 35.

The BJP reopened its account by winning three seats, including party state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar at Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram.

The saffron party could also considerably improve its performance in many seats including Christian strongholds of central Kerala, even as minister of state for minority affairs George Kurian could finish only in third place at Kanjirapally in Kottayam.

The highest ever victory that Kerala witnessed was 111 seats by the then United front comprising Congress and CPI in 1977. The highest ever victory by the UDF as well as the LDF was 99 seats in 2001 and 2021 respectively.

Anti-incumbency against the ten year long two terms of Pinarayi Vijayan governments as well as the resentment within the CPM towards the party leadership were very well evident in the election outcome.

While most of the ministers failed, Pinarayi's victory margin came down from 50,123 to around 19,247. Three CPM rebels, who openly flayed the leadership's unilateral and corrupt decisions, scripted victory, that too in the party stronghold of Taliparambu and Payyannur in Kannur.

If Pinarayi was widely credited for LDF's successive victory in 2021, his alleged arrogance is also considered to be an attributing factor for LDF's worst ever setback this time.

Various guarantees announced by the Congress, including free travel for women in state transport buses and schemes for youth, seems to have helped the party gain the support of women as well as youths.

UDF chairman and opposition leader V D Satheesan termed 'team UDF's' victory as a victory of Kerala's secular mindset as the strong stand of the UDF against communalism was accepted by the people.

Veteran Congress leader A K Antony said the strong resentment against the LDF indeed gave the thumbing victory to the UDF. "The LDF could not withstand the anti-LDF cyclone. People had a feeling that a third term for the Pinarayi government would be disastrous for the state," Antony said.

Having scripted success, the race for the Chief Minister post will be gaining steam in the Congress.

While Satheesan, who has been reiterating that the UDF will win over 100 seats, is likely to emerge as the key choice, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal were also reportedly eyeing the post. Loyalists of these leaders have been carrying out a strong campaign.

While the Congress won 63 seats, its coalition partners IUML won 22 seats, Kerala Congress (Joseph) won seven and RSP won three seats. Other coalition partners won one seat each and party backed independents also won.