Left leader VS Achutanandan -- is also seen as its Chief Ministerial candidate.
Highlights
- CPM-led LDF expected to win Kerala from Congress with 79 of 140 seats
- Congress-led UDF, hit by corruption scandals, down to 57 seats
- BJP to open its account in Kerala with 3 seats in the state
A poll of exit polls, aggregating four polls, shows Kerala stick to its record of yo-yo politics, picking the CPM-led Left Democratic Front or LDF over the Congress-led United Democratic Front or UDF, which ruled the state for the last five years.
The BJP is seen making little impact, but opening its account in the state.
The poll of exit polls shows the LDF winning 79 seats, comfortably over the halfway mark of 71. That would put 93-year-old VS Achutanandan of the CPM in line for becoming Chief Minister again.
The UDF, led by Oommen Chandy of the Congress, is seen trailing way behind, at 57 seats. The Chandy government had won by a whisker in 2011, at 73 seats.
BJP, which has never won an assembly or parliament seat in Kerala but had fancied its chances at making an impact in these elections, is seen debuting with three seats.
While India Today's exit poll shows the LDF get 94 of Kerala's 140 seats, the Times Now C-Voter poll give the Left alliance 78 seats.
News Nation, though, has shown a slight reverse, giving 69 seats to LDF and 70 to UDF. It has given one seat to BJP.