The Left Democratic Front (LDF) is set to break the state's four-decade-old trend of swinging between the communists and the Congress-led United Democratic Front.
As many as 957 candidates, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, 11 of his Cabinet colleagues, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy, former Union Minister K J Alphons and BJP State president K Surendran, among others, were in the fray in the election.
With counting coming to a close, BJP who had at least Nemom in the last Assembly elections has this year drawn a blank in the state.
CM Vijayan, and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala won from their constituencies. 'Rockstar' KK Shailaja also secured her constituency of Mattanur with a massive margin.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who had camped in the state for several days with the party hoping that the state will herald a turn in its electoral fortunes, is now poised to be the opposition for the next five years.
Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran wins from Kazhakootam by a margin of 23,497 votes.
Kerala Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran wins from Kazhakootam by margin of 23,497 votes #AssemblyElections2021
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 2, 2021
LDF wins people's mandate with victory in 99 out of the 140 seats, UDF shrinks in size from last Assembly Elections with 41 seats. BJP loses all contested seats including in the first account they opened in the state, Nemom.
BJP candidate E Sreedharan, popularly known as 'Metroman', loses to Congress' Shafi Parambil from Palakkad Assembly constituency, Election Commission reported.
Kerala: BJP's E Sreedharan, popularly known as 'Metro Man', loses to Congress candidate Shafi Parambil from Palakkad Assembly constituency, as per Election Commission
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
(file photo) pic.twitter.com/PRbeZdGhbX
K. Babu is seen greeting his supporters at the Maharaja's College in Kochi after winning from the Tripunithua Assembly constituency.
#keralaelections2021 | After winning from #Tripunithura assembly constituency, K Babu of Congress greets his supporters at the Maharaja college, Kochi. #ElectionsWithTNIE #Kerala
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @sanesh_TNIE @xpresskerala pic.twitter.com/Dt3WLB7I8E
#Nemom LDF candidate V Sivankutty addresses the media after defeating #BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @bpdeepu_TNIE @xpresskerala @MSKiranPrakash #ElectionswithTNIE #keralaelections2021 #Kerala pic.twitter.com/7Nx4bZIOnS
#ElectionsWithTNIE | Congress party workers are eagerly waiting for the result of #Tripunithura constituency at Maharaja college, where counting was stopped due to technical glitches.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @sanesh_TNIE @xpresskerala #keralaelections2021 pic.twitter.com/Rr52UrOigm
LDF candidate P. Balachandran won with a margin of 946 votes in Thrissur constituency. INC's Padmaja Venugopal is the runner up. #KeralaElectionResult2021@xpresskerala
— gopikavarrier (@gopikavarrier1) May 2, 2021
For the first time, minister KT Jaleel takes lead in the final round in Thavanoor. He has an edge of 666 votes now over Firos Kunnamparambil.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja wins from Mattannur constituency by a record margin of 61,000 votes.
#LDF Kochi candidate KJ Maxi celebrating his victory at CPIM Kochi Area Committee office along with party workers.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Photo | @ArunAngela@xpresskerala #keralaelections #ElectionsWithTNIE pic.twitter.com/hjPklIwLAJ
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) lead crosses 47,000 votes. #ElectionsWithTNIE @NewIndianXpress
— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) May 2, 2021
Metroman Sreedharan's margin is reduced to just 200 at Palakkad against Shafi Parambil of UDF
Sitting MLA and LDF candidate K U Jenish Kumar is leading with 35412 votes in Konni assembly constituency. BJP state president and NDA candidate K Surendran is in third position.
Sreedharan of the BJP lead reduced to 1700 votes after Pirayiri panchayat, a UDF stronghold was counted. Only two more panchayats remain to be counted.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury says he salutes the people of Kerala for reposing their faith in the CPM-led Left government in Kerala.
LDF leads in all the five constituencies in #Pathanamthitta.#ElectionsWithTNIE @NewIndianXpress
— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) May 2, 2021
R Bindu, wife of LDF Convenor and CPM state secretary in charge A Vijayaragavan- won the elections by margin of over 6000 votes from Irinjalakuda.
Thrissur constituency heads for photo-finish as CPI candidate P Balachandran gets a wafer thin lead of 200 votes pushing NDA candidate Suresh Gopi to third place
Auto drivers eagerly watching the news coverage of the #KeralaElectionResult2021.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @sanesh_TNIE @xpresskerala #ElectionsWithTNIE pic.twitter.com/6zbw0kTW4b
IUML's AKM Ashraf has a lead of 1,355 votes over BJP's state president K Surendran after Round 6 in Manjeshwar
'Metroman' Sreedharan marches forward in Palakkad as lead consolidates to over 7000 against Shafi Parambil of Congress
#Kasaragod: Incumbent N A Nellikkunnu of the IUML has a lead of just 529 votes over BJP's district president K Shreekanth after Round 4 (80 of 296 booths). #KeralaElection @xpresskerala
— george poikayil (@george_TNIE) May 2, 2021
E. Sreedharan of the BJP leads by 5500 votes over his nearest rival, Shafi Parambil of the Congress in Palakkad constituency.
After three and half hours of counting of votes, LDF is heading for a sweep in the capital by leading in 12 out of 14 seats. NDA leads in Nemom while UDF leads in Kovalam.
Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan (CPIM) has registered the first win for LDF in Kerala elections 2021 securing Perambra constituency by a margin of 5033 votes.
LDF is heading for a sweep in Thrissur, the strong hold of the ruling front for the past four assembly elections, with the front leading 12 out of 13 seats, while the NDA candidate actor turned MP Suresh Gopi maintains his lead in the Thrissur constituency.
Idukki district lead @ 11 am
— Manoj Viswanathan (@Manojexpress) May 2, 2021
Udumbanchola: LDF lead by 23,301
Idukki: LDF: 11991
Thodupuzha: UDF: 17141
Peerumedu: UDF: 2019
Devikulam: LDF 3260@NewIndianXpress @xpresskerala @MSKiranPrakash
LDF marches ahead during the early hours of counting in Kannur. Except in Irikkur, UDF candidates trail behind in all other seats. At Dharmadom, CM Pinarayi Vijayan has a lead of 7810 against his rival C Raghunath. Surprisingly, UDF has been pushed back to second place at Peravur and Kannur.
Health Minister K K Shylaja, has a lead of 17753 at Mattannur.
In a fierce battle in Pala, UDF candidate Mani C Kappen appears to be heading to victory with a comfortable margin taking into account the present trend in the counting of votes. After completing three rounds of counting, Kappen is leading by 9019 votes against his rival candidate Jose K Mani of Kerala Congress.
While most of the Kerala Congress (M) candidates are leading, party's chairman Jose K Mani is trailing from #Pala by more than 7000 votes. @NewIndianXpress @xpresskerala #AssemblyElections2021 #keralaelections2021
— Raam Das (@PRamdas_TNIE) May 2, 2021
Except @chennithala, all UDF candidates trailing in Alappuzha dist @xpresskerala #keralaelections2021 #keralaelections
— Ganesh Neelakantan (@minutepoint) May 2, 2021
Latest leads
— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) May 2, 2021
LDF nears 100 seats
LDF -- 98
UDF -- 41
NDA -- 1@NewIndianXpress #keralaelections2021 #ElectionsWithTNIE
CPM candidate and Power Minister MM Mani has established an unassailable lead of 13,000 votes after two and half hours of counting as the counting of votes is in progress.
LDF's K K Shailaja (Mattannur), M M Mani (Udumbanchola) and Kadakampally Surendran (Kazhakkoottam) in the lead
The NDA's three prominent candidates -- Metroman E Sreedharan in Palakkad, Kummanam Rajasekharan in Nemom and actor-MP Suresh Gopi in Thrissur -- in the lead.
All big names are leading: #ElectionsWithTNIE
— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) May 2, 2021
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Dharmadom
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala in Haripad
Former CM Oommen Chandy in Puthupally.@NewIndianXpress #keralaelections2021
Maharaja's college counting station wears a deserted look as party workers stay away from the premises in the wake of official directions to control #COVID19.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @sanesh_TNIE @xpresskerala #keralaelections2021 #ElectionsWithTNIE pic.twitter.com/z0hyK7npzK
As per early trends, UDF candidate Mani C Kappan is leading in Pala assembly constituency
Latest trends: LDF 80, UDF 57, NDA 3@NewIndianXpress #ElectionsWithTNIE
— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) May 2, 2021
Drawing confidence from multiple pre-poll and post-poll surveys, the ruling LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is optimistic of a convincing win. Chennithala, however, has urged the UDF workers to keep their morale high and directed counting agents to ensure a fool-proof scrutiny as there is a large number of postal ballots to be counted this time.
In fact, nothing short of a win will be acceptable to Pinarayi and Chennithala. The CM, who has become the poster boy of the Left movement in the country in the last five years, badly wants to retain his fortress so that Left politics will stay relevant. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
KERALA ELECTION TREND.@Kummanam leading in #Nemom assembly constituency. @NewIndianXpress @xpresskerala #AssemblyElections2021
— Raam Das (@PRamdas_TNIE) May 2, 2021
KERALA ELECTION TREND
— Raam Das (@PRamdas_TNIE) May 2, 2021
After 30mins of postal ballot counting.
LDF-61
UDF-44
NDA-01@NewIndianXpress @xpresskerala #keralaelections2021
Counting of votes has begun in the 140 assembly constituencies and Malappuram Lok Sabha seat in the state, where election and by-election respectively were held on April 6.
As many as 24,709 officials, including reserve personnel, have been deployed for counting. While 2.03 crore EVM votes from 40,771 polling booths will be counted, the number of postal ballots to be taken up for counting is around five lakh. Strict compliance with Covid protocol will be ensured throughout the counting process. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
Police allowing officials and Polling agents into counting centers after scrutiny in Kochi.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @ArunAngela @xpresskerala #keralaelections #ElectionsWithTNIE pic.twitter.com/S41gmReOZA
#ElectionsWithTNIE | Officials opening strong room at a vote counting center in Mar Ivanios Vidhyanagar in Thiruvananthapuram.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 2, 2021
Express Video | @bpdeepu_TNIE @xpresskerala #KeralaElections2021 pic.twitter.com/YeutOrwYgd
Here's the prediction of #keralaelections2021 by leaders. @chennithala @VijayraghavanA @iumlofficial @JoseKMani_KCM pic.twitter.com/jE8HNGERTw
— TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) April 29, 2021
As many as 957 candidates, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, 11 of his Cabinet colleagues, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy, 'Metroman' E Sreedharan, former Union Minister K J Alphons and BJP State president K Surendran, among others, were in fray in the election to the 140 seats.
After nearly a month-long wait in the strong rooms, EVMs which hold the fate of as many as 957 candidates for Kerala's 140 seats have seen the light of day as officials prep up for counting of votes.
After nearly a month-long wait in the strong rooms, EVMs which hold the fate of as many as 957 candidates for Kerala's 140 seats have seen the light of day as officials prep for counting of votes.