The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is on course for its strongest electoral performance in over two decades, surging past the 95-seat mark in early counting trends from the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday.
If sustained, the tally would mark the alliance’s best showing since the 2001 Assembly election, when UDF secured 99 seats, which was its highest ever.
The latest trends also point to a decisive mandate against the CPI(M)-led incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is trailing across several key constituencies, heading for a massive defeat.
Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, VD Satheesan, who spearheaded the party’s campaign, had set a target of 100 seats as Congress worked towards a return to power after a 10-year gap.
Across regions, the UDF has made notable gains, cutting into traditional LDF strongholds and consolidating votes in central and northern Kerala. The performance of the alliance, which includes the Muslim League, reflects a combination of anti-incumbency sentiment and a campaign that focused on governance, welfare delivery, and economic concerns.
Historically, the UDF’s best performance came in 2001, when it won 99 seats in the 140-member Assembly.
The LDF returned to power in 2006 with 98 seats, reducing the UDF to 42.
In 2011, the UDF narrowly edged past the LDF with 72 seats, just above the majority mark of 71, while the LDF secured 68 seats in one of the closest contests in the state’s history.