The Election Commission on Sunday announced the election dates for Kerala. The state will undergo polling in one phase on April 9. The counting of votes will be on May 4.
Elections will be held for all 140 seats of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, with the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking third consecutive term in office, after a thumping re-election in 2021.
The LDF is expected to face a strong challenge from the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the Indian National Congress, while the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will also be in the fray, attempting to expand its presence in the state and trying every bit to turn the contest in a three cornered fight.
In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, the LDF secured a historic second consecutive term, winning 99 seats, while the UDF won 41 seats. The BJP failed to open its account in the Assembly that year. The state recorded a voter turnout of 74.06 per cent.In the 2016 Assembly elections, the LDF had returned to power with 91 seats, defeating the then ruling UDF which secured 47 seats. The BJP had opened its account in the Kerala Assembly for the first time by winning the Nemom constituency, while the voter turnout stood at 77.35 per cent.The upcoming elections are expected to see a direct contest primarily between the LDF and the UDF, with the BJP-led NDA trying to make inroads and turn the contest into a three-cornered fight in several constituencies.Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India reviewed poll preparedness in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry earlier this month. As part of the preparations, the Commission appointed Central Observers under the plenary powers conferred by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to assist in the conduct of free and fair elections and oversee the management of the electoral process at the field level.