Voting is being held today from 7 am to 6 pm across all 140 constituencies, with 883 candidates contesting the polls.
Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 Voter Turnout
The first voter turnout figures as of 5:00 PM is 75.01%
Key Contestants in Kerala Elections
Pinarayi Vijayan: Chief Minister and senior Left leader is spearheading the LDF campaign despite facing anti-incumbency. As the face of the CPI(M)-led alliance, he is aiming for a third consecutive term from Dharmadam, a constituency he secured in both 2016 and 2021.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar: Former Union Minister and BJP’s Kerala unit chief, he is a key NDA candidate contesting from Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram. He had lost the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat in 2024 to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
K K Shailaja: A prominent LDF face, the former minister is contesting from Peravoor in Kannur. She earlier won from Mattanur and gained national recognition for handling the Nipah and COVID-19 crises.
V Muraleedharan: Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister, he is contesting from Kazhakootam. Despite limited electoral success, his candidature reflects the BJP’s strategy to strengthen its base in Kerala.Chandy Oommen: A popular Congress leader in the UDF, he is recontesting from Puthuppally in Kottayam. Son of former CM Oommen Chandy, he won the seat in the 2023 bypoll following his father’s demise.
What happened in Kerala’s Assembly Elections in 2021
The 2021 Kerala Assembly elections marked a historic win for the Left Democratic Alliance (LDF). The state witnessed pro-incumbency, allowing the ruling LDF to retain power. Led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the alliance secured a massive mandate, winning 99 out of 140 seats.
