Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], May 4 : As voting for the Kerala assembly elections began on Monday, Congress candidate M Vincent expressed complete confidence in winning the Kovalam Assembly constituency seat, claiming that the United Democratic Front (UDF) would win with "a good majority" in the state.
Speaking tohere, Congress candidate from the Kovalam Assembly constituency added that he has full confidence in the people, as he has worked for them for the last 10 years.
"In my constituency, I hope that I can win the election because I have full confidence in the people. I worked for the people for the last 10 years, and it will reflect in the election... 100% UDF will come..." Vincent told reporters.
Manoj SP (Aam Aadmi Party), M Vincent (Congress), Kovalam TN Suresh (Bharatiya Janata Party), Kattachalkuzhi M Sugathan (Socialist Republican Party), Venganoor Asokan (Independent), Kiran S Pillai (Independent), N Jayarajan (Independent), Bhagath Rufus (Independent), and Adv Sabu S Philip (Independent)9 candidates are contesting from Kovalam in Kerala's 2026 Assembly election.
Keralam Congress President Sunny Joseph also exuded confidence of a decisive victory for the United Democratic Front (UDF) as counting for the Keralam Assembly Elections 2026 is set to begin shortly across the state.
Joseph toldthat the outcome would mirror recent local body elections and reflect public sentiment against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
"We are fully hopeful. We will win. This will be a repetition of the local body results. We are very confident that we will win. Number we cannot predict... Anti-people policies, Sabarimala, gold theft, all these are the key factors that are being discussed in this election by and large," he said.
Counting begins at 8 am with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes from 8:30 am, with live updates available on the ECINET platform. The process is being closely monitored amid tight security arrangements across counting centres, including the Mar Ivanios College campus in Thiruvananthapuram.
The state recorded a voter turnout of 78.27 per cent in the single-phase polling held on April 9.
Exit polls have largely projected an advantage for the Congress-led UDF, predicting between 72 and 90 seats in the 140-member Assembly, while the LDF is expected to secure 49 to 62 seats. The BJP-led NDA is projected to win a marginal share.
Meanwhile, BJP leader V Muraleedharan expressed hope for a "positive verdict" in favour of the NDA, citing development and governance under Narendra Modi as key planks. Congress MP Jebi Mather also voiced confidence in a UDF government, stating that the Chief Minister would be a Congress leader, to be decided in consultation with the party high command.
The LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is seeking a rare consecutive third term after its historic win in 2021, which broke Keralam's pattern of alternating governments.
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