Exit polls predict UDF return in Kerala as LDF trails in tight race
Exit polls show a setback for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF, strongly favouring the UDF, while the BJP remains on the margins
 "Exit polls predict UDF return in Kerala as LDF trails in tight race")
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is expected to return to power in Kerala as pollsters gave the alliance an edge in the recently concluded Kerala Assembly elections.
The exit polls were released after voting for the five-state assembly elections concluded on Wednesday evening. Most pollsters placed the UDF comfortably ahead of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remained on the margins.
According to Axis My India, the UDF is projected to win 78-90 seats, comfortably above the majority mark of 71, while the LDF may get 49–62 seats in the 140-seat Assembly. People’s Pulse showed a similar trend, giving the UDF 75-85 seats and the LDF 55-65.
P-MARQ projections indicated a closer contest but still placed the UDF ahead at 72-79 seats, compared with 62-69 for the LDF. Matrize also projected a UDF lead at 70-75 seats, with the LDF at 60-65. The BJP was expected to win between 0 and 5 seats across surveys. The poll of polls average pointed to a clear advantage for DMK+, with around 125 seats against the 118 majority mark.
(Based on simple averages of exit poll ranges across agencies; figures rounded to the nearest whole number) Exit polls offer just an early indication based on limited voter feedback and can often miss the mark, so take their predictions with a pinch of salt.
| Alliance/Party | Seats (Avg) |
| UDF | 78 |
| LDF | 61 |
| BJP | 2 |
Kerala’s contest remained centred on its two main fronts, the LDF led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the UDF led by the Indian National Congress, with limited space for third players. The BJP continues to seek a wider footprint but pollsters have not projected major gains for the party in the southern state.
Welfare and governance formed the core of the campaign. The LDF relied on its record in social schemes, healthcare, and education, while the UDF focused on issues such as unemployment, rising prices, and governance concerns. The outcome was seen as a test of whether voters would opt for continuity or return to Kerala’s usual cycle of political change.
Kerala voted in a single phase on April 9, with results due on May 4.