Keralam Election Results: Congress leads in 54 seats, CPI(M) in 31; Tharoor says ‘time for change’ as UDF gains early edge

A clear early edge for the Congress has emerged in Keralam as counting of votes gains pace, with Election Commission data showing the party leading in 54 seats while the CPI(M) trails with 31. The initial numbers point to a broader advantage for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in what is shaping up to be a crucial electoral contest.

Trends available as of now indicate the UDF pulling ahead, while the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is following it. Though these are early figures, they suggest momentum building in favour of the opposition alliance in Keralam.

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Reacting to the early trends from Thiruvananthapuram, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the initial direction was “encouraging,” noting that several prominent LDF leaders appeared to be trailing. He said the electorate seemed to have signalled a desire for change, but added that the UDF would avoid premature celebrations as the counting process continues.

He said, “I think it’s very clear that the Kerala electorate has to be congratulated. They have decided it’s time for a change. And even people whose individual popularity we are not disputing seem to be behind. This, I think, is a very good sign. And for us in the UDF, we are not going to make any premature celebrations. But I can see that it’ll take already a major reversal for things to look very different…”

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “The encouraging thing is that within an hour and a quarter, there seems to be a very clear trend in our favour and even some reasonably popular politicians from the LDF are trailing…I think it’s very clear… pic.twitter.com/fz3yIKMR1d

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2026

On the other hand, Keralam BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar urged caution, saying it would be appropriate to wait for the final results before drawing conclusions. He emphasised that in a democracy, voters alone determine outcomes and expressed confidence that the electorate would reject divisive and corrupt politics.

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam BJP president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, says, “We will wait for the election results. The results will come out by midday today, and we will then comment at that point. We are in a democracy. No political party can decide the fate of another… pic.twitter.com/V82NZ02lPz

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2026

Counting began at 8 am across Keralam today, starting with postal ballots, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes. The exercise is being conducted across 140 counting halls spread over 43 locations, all under tight security.

With trends still evolving, attention remains on whether the UDF can maintain its early lead or if the LDF stages a comeback as more rounds of counting are completed through the day.