Congress leader Shama Mohammad expressed confidence on Thursday that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will secure a 'huge majority' in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
Speaking in Kannur, she alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “so desperate that they are buying votes.” Mohammad cited feedback from the ground indicating a clear demand for change, highlighting key issues facing the state such as mounting debt, unemployment, and a growing drug problem.
“UDF is winning this election with a huge majority. You must have seen that people on the ground are saying they want change. The state is in debt, there is unemployment, there is a drug problem in the state today. BJP is so desperate that they are buying votes,” she said.
Several prominent leaders exercised their franchise on Thursday as polling for the 2026 Assembly elections progressed across Kerala. Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary MA Baby voted in Thiruvananthapuram, while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cast his vote at Pinarayi RC Amala Basic Upper Primary School in Kannur. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan voted at Kesari Government Arts and Science College in Ernakulam.
Other voters included Kerala Congress president Sunny Joseph and MP Hibi Eden, who voted in Kannur and Kochi respectively, as well as Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather. BJP leaders Anil K Antony and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan voted in Thiruvananthapuram. Actor-turned-politician and UDF candidate Ramesh Pisharody voted in Palakkad, and senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan voted at Jawahar Nagar LP School in Thiruvananthapuram.
Voting is being conducted for 126 seats in Assam, 140 seats in Kerala, and 30 seats in Puducherry, with counting scheduled for May 4. As of 11 am on Thursday, voter turnout in Kerala was 33.28 per cent, according to data from the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In Kerala, over 26 million electors will determine the outcome for 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Among 26,953,644 registered voters, 13,827,319 are women and 13,126,048 are men, with 277 registered as third gender. Nearly 424,518 voters are aged 18 to 19, while 204,608 voters are aged 85 and above. A total of 30,471 polling stations have been established to ensure safe and secure voting.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term, while the Congress-led UDF aims to regain power amid anti-incumbency sentiment in the state.