Kerala Votes Today; LDF vs UDF in Direct Battle
140-seat Assembly at stake; BJP seeks gains as counting set for May 4
- Kerala votes for 140 Assembly seats
- LDF and UDF in direct contest; NDA eyes expansion
- Pinarayi Vijayan seeks third win from Dharmadam
- Key battles in Nemom, Vattiyoorkavu and Peravoor
GG News Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, 9th April: Voting is underway in Kerala for the 140-member Assembly, with the ruling Left Democratic Front facing a direct challenge from the Congress-led United Democratic Front. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is also attempting to expand its footprint in the state.
A party or alliance needs at least 71 seats to secure a majority. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is contesting from Dharmadam in Kannur district, aiming for a third consecutive victory from the constituency. He faces V P Abdul Rasheed of the UDF and K Ranjith of the BJP.
In Nemom, a key battleground for the BJP, party state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is leading the campaign, seeking to regain a seat the party had won in 2016. He is up against LDF candidate V. Sivankutty and Congress leader K S Sabarinadhan.
Vattiyoorkavu has emerged as another closely watched constituency, with LDF’s V.K. Prashanth facing senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan and BJP candidate R. Sreelekha.
In Peravoor, the contest pits Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph against senior CPM leader K. K. Shailaja, known for her leadership during public health crises.
The election is being closely watched as a test of the LDF government’s performance and the opposition’s ability to regain ground. With multiple high-profile candidates and tight contests across constituencies, the outcome is expected to have wider political implications.
