Kerala Elections 2021 LIVE UPDATES: UDF confident of winning, 73.46% voter turnout

The polling for 140 Assembly seats in Kerala concluded with a turnout of 73.46%. 

67.96% voter turnout reported in Kerala till 7 PM, as per the Election Commission.

Kerala's voter turnout as per EC approximation reaches 64.55% at 5 PM

After casting his vote, senior Congress leader AK Antony on Tuesday said Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will a strong come back as the voters of Kerala will throw Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) out of power.

Lashing out at the incumbent government in the state, Anthony said, "For the last few days, an anti-government wave is sweeping all over the state. The voters of Kerala will throw LDF out of power. The UDF will come back with thunder. The Congress-led UDF government will be formed in Kerala strengthening Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in their fight against anti-people policies of the Centre."
 

Approximate voter turnout as per the EC at 4:00 PM was 58.66%

After voting for single-phase Kerala Assembly elections began on Tuesday morning, voter turnout in state until 3 pm was 51.65 per cent.

After voting for single-phase Kerala Assembly elections began on Tuesday morning, voter turnout in the state until 2:18 pm is 47.46 per cent. 

Actor Mammootty on Tuesday afternoon cast his vote for single-phase Kerala Assembly Elections at a polling booth in Ponnurunni, Ernakulam.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan on Tuesday afternoon cast vote at Kottaram booth in Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram. While speaking to reporters, the Union Minister said that this poll is going to create a sort of milestone in the political history of Kerala. "People will express their dissatisfaction & reject both UDF & LDF alliances," Muraleedharan added. 

After voting for single-phase Kerala Assembly elections began on Tuesday morning, voter turnout in the state until 11:40 am is 31.52 per cent. 

After Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja cast her vote on Tuesday morning, Congress leader AK Antony cast his vote at Government High School, Jagathy in Thiruvananthapuram. 

After Kerala BJP President K Surendran casts his vote on Tuesday morning, state Health Minister KK Shailaja at around 10:00 am cast her vote in Kannur. While speaking to the reporters, the Kerala Health Minister said that the COVID-19 mortality rate in the state is 0.4 per cent. "We brought many social welfare measures during COVD-19. people are seeing all this and they will vote for us," she added. 

After Metro Man E Sreedharan, Kerala BJP President K Surendran along with his family cast their votes in Modakkallur, Kozhikode. 

After voting for single-phase Kerala Assembly elections began on Tuesday morning, voter turnout in the state until 9:30 am is 14.52 per cent. 

Shortly after BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate E Sreedharan cast his vote, Congress Chief Ramesh Chennithala has now reached Alappuzha to cast his vote. 

After Metro Man E Sreedharan cast his vote for the single-phase Assembly elections at a polling station in Ponnani, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will shortly cast his vote at a polling station in Kannur. 

Ahead of CM Vijayan cast his vote, a supporter of LDF (Left Democratic Front) on Tuesday morning arrived at the same polling booth in Kannur to cast his vote. Interestingly, the LDF supporter has coloured his hair in red to express his support to the party. 

As the voting for the single-phase Kerala Assembly elections begins, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday shared a message for all the voters of the state. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Prime Minister said, "I urge the people of Kerala, especially the youth of the state and first-time voters, to cast their votes in record numbers."

After casting his vote at a polling station in Ponnani, Metro Man E Sreedharan while speaking to news agency ANI said that he is confident over BJP's victory in the poll-bound state of Kerala.

Sreedharan said, "BJP will have an impressive show this time, there's no doubt about it. I will win from the Palakkad constituency with a big margin. My entry into BJP has given a different image to the party."

Metro Man E Sreedharan along with his wife arrived at a polling station in Ponnani on Tuesday morning and cast his vote in the single-phase Kerala Assembly election. E Sreedharan is the BJP's candidate for Palakkad and as well as the party's CM face This is the first time he is contesting elections. See visuals here. 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday urged the people of Kerala to vote for the United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance in the Assembly polls and defeat the "divisive forces who polarise the society, and reject authoritarian leaders". The Congress-led UDF is seeking to wrest power back from the left-led LDF in the southern state.

Asserting, that Congress can confront divisive forces which destroying what India stands for, Gandhi urged the voters to strengthen her party nationally by supporting it in the Kerala polls.

"I am confident that on April 6 you will reject the forces who know nothing else other than polarizing and dividing our society of so many diversities. I am confident that you will reject authoritarian and dictatorial leadership and once again place your trust and confidence in the Congress and the UDF," she said.

"By voting for the UDF in Kerala you will also be voting to strengthen the Congress party nationally. The Congress can confront the divisive forces who are damaging and destroying all that India has stood for and represented for twenty centuries and more," she said.

"By voting for the UDF, you will be ensuring that development takes place in an atmosphere of social harmony and communal peace. The UDF will provide an administration that is transparent, responsive and accountable to the people of Kerala," Gandhi also said.

Former Kerala Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy on Sunday exuded confidence in UDF's victory in the upcoming assembly polls, stating that the 'inaction' of the incumbent Left government would pave the way for Congress' return to power in the state. 

Ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, the Union minister and the BJP elections in charge of the state, Pralhad Joshi has exuded confidence that the saffron party would emerge as a credible third alternative in Kerala politics which has been dominated by two alliances -- DF and UDF. He asserted that the BJP would improve its tally in the assembly poll. 

Taking potshots at both CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF, he said both alliances are "tough competitors in corruption" and have done nothing for the economic prosperity of the state while adding that the state depends largely on offshore remittances.

Kerala High Court on Saturday directed the Election Commission to examine the possibility of webcasting or video graphing the election process in booths of Aroor constituency in Alappuzha district where a number of alleged double votes exist.

Justice N Nagaresh issued the directive while considering the petition filed by Shanimol Usman, Congress MLA from Aroor, who sought webcasting in all 39 polling booths of the constituency. She alleged that there are more than 2,573 double votes in the constituency where the names of voters appear twice in the list.

Kerala is all set to go to polls on Tuesday with 2.74 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise and decide the fate of 957 candidates in 140 Assembly constituencies across the state. Unlike West Bengal and Assam, Kerala will witness a single-phase polling on Tuesday for the 14th Legislative Assembly, whose term is set to expire on June 1. While the focus remains on the battle between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) - both alliances who have been exchanging power over the last decade or so - the 2021 elections seem to be instrumental for the BJP, who has been eyeing to make inroads in southern India. The voter turnout in the 2016 Assembly election was 80.38 per cent.

1. E Sreedharan vs Shafi Parambil

Making his electoral debut 'Metroman' E Sreedharan, contesting on a BJP ticket, faces a stiff challenge from Congress' Shafi Parambil in the Pallakad battleground. Sreedharan, who has been projected as the BJP's CM face for Kerala, only recently joined the saffron party making a leap into the world of politics whereas his competitor Shafi Parambil enjoys massive support in Palakkad having been elected to represent Pallakad twice in a row. Even though the Congress holds the Palakkad seat, Sreedharan might be hoping to jolt some shockwaves to Parambil's chances of re-election, riding high on endorsements from PM Modi, Amit Shah and even Malayalam megastar Mohanlal, who recently threw weight behind the Metroman. Notably, the BJP might just have an edge as the Palakkad also happens to be the district where E Sreedharan was born and thus enjoys home support.

2. Oommen Chandy vs N Hari 

Having served as Kerala CM for two terms, Oomen Chandy just happens to be the favourite as he steps on to face N Hari from at his home turf - Puthuppally. The constituency has been a Congress stronghold ever since 1957 except for between 1967-1970 when a CPM candidate was elected to power. Since 1957, the people of Puthupally have reposed their faith in Oommen Chandy in every assembly election held to date. Chandy will be eyeing another landslide victory in the battle against BJP's N Hari this year as well. However, as the UDF bank on Chandy to retain his bastion, the BJP will be hoping for N Hari to punch above his weight and dislodge the veteran Congress leader from power.

3. Pinarayi Vijayan vs C Raghunath 

Incumbent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, fighting for his throne, has been pitted against Congress' DCC Secretary C Ragunath. The UDF's lead party had its fair share of thought before handing the battle gun for Dharmadam - a Left stronghold - to Ragunath after the Kerala Congress Working President K Sudhakaran declined the contest despite High Command's request. In the previous state election, Pinarayi Vijayan had registered a comfortable victory by 87,329 votes leaving behind the Congress candidate by miles. In Dharmadam, Vijayan faces a two-pronged attack with Congress' Ragunath from one end and BJP's senior leader CK Padmanabhan from the other ends. 

4. R Sajilal vs Ramesh Chennithala

Eyeing the Chief Minister's post, Congress' Ramesh Chennithala is expected to stomp over the Left's candidate - R Sajilal - when the people of Haripad go to vote on April 6. Having held the constituency since 2011, Chennithala had won the previous election by a margin of over 28,000 votes, with the CPI and BJP candidate securing the third and fourth position, respectively. However, with power changing frequent hands in Haripad, R Sajilal and BJP's K Soman might hope to pull off a shocker in denying Chennithala another re-election from Haripad.