BackPOLITICS
Kerala exit polls project comeback for Congress-led UDF as LDF trails (April 2026)
Exit polls reported in late April 2026 largely project a victory for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, with the incumbent LDF close behind. Pollsters show varying seat ranges and vote shares, and also name preferred chief ministers, ahead of the single-phase election on April 9 and results due in May.
Why It Matters
Kerala's political history features alternating governments; this cycle could reinforce or alter long-standing patterns and influence campaign strategies across the state.
Timeline
3 Events
April 29, 2026: Exit polls project UDF comeback; predictions for seats, vote shares and CM
April 29, 2026
Exit poll predictions cited by multiple firms project a Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) majority. Axis My India: UDF 78-90 seats, LDF 49-62; Matrize: UDF 70-75, LDF 60-65, NDA 3-5; People's Pulse: UDF 75-85, LDF 55-65, NDA 0-3; P-Marq: UDF 70-75, LDF 60-65, NDA 3-5. Axis My India also gave vote-share projections: UDF 44%, LDF 39%, NDA 14%. Preferred Chief Ministers: Vijayan 33%, Satheesan 21%, any UDF candidate 11%.
April 9, 2026: Kerala votes in a single phase for 140-seat Assembly
April 9, 2026
Kerala voted in a single phase on April 9, 2026 for the 140-seat Assembly elections, with the results expected to be announced on May 4, 2026.
2021 Kerala election: LDF secures second consecutive term; Vijayan re-elected
2021
In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, the LDF won 99 seats, the UDF 41, and the NDA 0. The LDF vote share was 45.43%, the UDF 39.47%, and the NDA 12.4%, with Pinarayi Vijayan becoming the first Kerala chief minister to be re-elected and the first since 1977 for a ruling alliance to win consecutively. The LDF had won 6 of 10 elections since the alliance's formation in 1980. Vijayan contested from Dharmadam.