Thiruvananthapuram, 02 May (H.S.): With just two days left for the declaration of the Kerala Assembly election results, all three major political fronts — the United Democratic Front (UDF), Left Democratic Front (LDF), and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — have exuded strong confidence about their prospects, setting the stage for a keenly watched outcome.

The UDF is buoyed by a majority of exit polls predicting its return to power, with leaders expressing confidence of securing close to 90 seats in the 140-member Assembly. The alliance believes that the anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling LDF has worked in its favour and will translate into a decisive mandate.

However, the LDF has dismissed exit poll projections, maintaining that they do not reflect the true will of the electorate. Senior leaders of the ruling front assert that there is no significant anti-incumbency in the state and that the government will retain power, even if by a narrow margin. They have also reiterated confidence in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan continuing for a third consecutive term.

The NDA, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is optimistic about making incremental gains in the state. Party leaders expect to win between one and five seats and claim that a significant rise in vote share could position the alliance as a decisive factor in the Assembly. They attribute this optimism to increased support among minority, Nair and Ezhava communities, as well as campaign efforts highlighting development initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NDA also believes the possibility of a hung Assembly cannot be ruled out.

Meanwhile, preparations for counting are nearly complete across the state. Final rounds of staff training are underway, with counting scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on May 4. Early trends are expected by 11 a.m., when a clearer picture of who will govern Kerala is likely to emerge.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman