Keralam, Assam, Puducherry Assembly Elections 2026 Highlights: Polling concludes

State Assembly Elections voter turnout as of 5PM 

• Assam: 84.42% 
• Kerala: 75.01% 
• Puducherry: 86.92%

• Assam: A 75.91% of voters cast their ballot until 3 PM
• Kerala: 62.71% voter turnout was recorded until 3 PM.
• Puducherry: 72.40% of people voted until 3 PM.

A bride in Kerala's Wayanad district showed up in a bridal attire to cast her vote on Thursday morning before heading for her wedding. She was voting at Booth Number 191 at the Government Higher Secondary School, in Mepadi, Waynad, at 9 am. Her wedding was scheduled at 10:30 am at the CSI Church in Koyileri near Mananthavady. She made it clear that voting was a priority as returning later would not have been possible.

Puducherry CM N Rangaswamy casts his vote following his long-standing tradition of riding his motorcycle to the polling booth. For this habbit he has earned the nicknames such as "Junior Kamaraj" and "Makkal Mudhalvar"

Raijor Dal Chief Akhil Gogoi, while casting a vote in Sivsagar, claimed that he will win with a margin of about 50,000 votes. He is facing a complex battle at the historic Ahom capital, from two NDA allies, Prodip Hazarika (AGP) and Kushal Dowari (BJP).

Senior Congress leader AK Antony took a jibe at the BJP, calling it a “non-Kerala party”, while casting his vote at the Jagathy polling station in Thiruvananthapuram. He added that people want to "send off" the current Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) regime. He predicted that UDF would form the government and the LDF would sit in the opposition. 

Wife of Zubeen Garg, Garima Saikia Garg, who was recently hospitalised, was accompanied by her sister-in-law, Palme Borthakur, to vote in the Dispur constituency of Guwahati. Garima said that she is carrying out her duty to vote eventhough she is unwell. When asked about her husband's death case, she said, “We are fighting for his justice. We are hopeful that justice will be done in an expeditious manner.” Zubeen Garg's sister Palme urges people to choose ideal leader, "People should stay alert and be aware of what they are doing. If you want a good government of your choice, you must vote carefully." 

A brief moment of tension was witnessed at booth number 27/14 in the Karaikal South constituency. The VVPAT machine in the booth started to emit smoke, and election officials and the fire rescue team rushed to the spot, removed the battery, to resolve the issue. Polling resumed after a gap of 10 minutes.

Approximate voter turnout as of 1 pm:

Assam - 59.63% 

Keralam - 49.70% 

Puducherry - 56.83%

As Keralam votes, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas on Thursday expressed confidence that the Left Front will return to power.
Speaking to the reporters after casting his vote at Jawahar Nagar LP School here, Brittas said, "It is clear that the Left Front is going to come back to power. There is an overwhelming response from the people... People are enthusiastic to participate in this democratic process... Left front government did an unparalleled performance this time."

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor cast his vote in the Keralam Assembly elections on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram, asserting that the electoral battle in the state is primarily between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Speaking to ANI after exercising his franchise, Tharoor downplayed the Bharatiya Janata Party's role in the state's political landscape. "The BJP is not a factor here. This is a state where the BJP is a zero-seat party in the Assembly. To even mention them in the same breath is an excessive compliment. It is a fight between an incumbent LDF govt and a challenging UDF," he told ANI.

NCP(SCP) MP from Baramati, Supriya Sule, on Thursday urged Congress to withdraw Akash More's candidature for the bye-election for the Baramati Assembly seat, which fell vacant after the demise of the former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Mahayuti has fielded Ajit Pawar's wife and NCP leader Sunetra Pawar, who needs to be part of the Assembly to be in the Deputy CM's seat. In an X post, Supriya Sule called for an unopposed election as a tribute to the late Ajit Pawar.

Approximate voter turnout as of 11 am -

• Davanagere South (Karnataka) - 22.01% 
• Bagalkot (Karnataka) - 27.83% 
• Koridang (Nagaland) - 41.06% 
• Dharmanagar (Tripura) - 33.51%
   

Around 20 per cent of the 22,382 voters in Nagaland’s Koridang Assembly by-election cast their votes within the first two hours on Thursday. Polling began at 7 am across 30 stations and has remained peaceful so far, with voting set to continue until 4 pm under tight security following recent unrest. Six candidates are contesting, and counting will take place on May 4.

Gaurav Gogoi, chief of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, voted in the Assembly elections on Thursday and expressed confidence that a strong, fearless, and self-assured Assam would emerge after the polls.

Speaking to reporters in Jorhat after casting his vote with his mother, Dolly Gogoi, he said the next government would protect democratic rights and uphold freedom of expression for all citizens. “Today is a crucial day for Assam. The people will play a decisive role in shaping the state’s future,” he said. “A strong, fearless, confident Assam will rise, ensuring the protection of democratic freedoms.”
 

Voter turnout in the Assembly election was recorded at 38.92% in Assam, 33.28% in Kerala, and 37.06% in Puducherry by 11 am.

On Assam elections, Union Minister & BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal told ANI, “Together with our allies we will win around 100 seats.”

Assam recorded 38.61% voters till 11 am on Thursday.

Keralam votes in Assembly elections 2026, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar said, "More than 2.70 crore Keralities are enthusiastically taking part in Assembly elections. LDF is hopeful of retaining its government in the state. We are expecting over 90 seats. This election was based on the agenda of development. BJP's communal politics and UDF's divisive agenda were not accepted. By and large, this election has been peaceful...The state of Kerala will reject the BJP once again."

Assam recorded 17.87 per cent voter turnout within the first two hours of polling for its 126-seat Assembly elections, with voting beginning at 7 am across 31,490 booths. The contest is largely between the BJP-led NDA, seeking a third term, and the Congress-led opposition aiming for a comeback. Despite rain in some areas, voter participation remained steady, with Majuli registering the highest early turnout and Tamulpur the lowest.

On Assam Elections 2026, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) and MP K.C. Venugopal told news agency ANI, "Assam has an arrogant Chief Minister, the most corrupt Chief Minister of the country. You see his arrogance, the way in which he sent the police to arrest Pawan Khera. The most dictatorial CM of this country, like Pinarayi Vijayan. People of Assam will teach him a lesson today..."

Congress leader KC Venugopal says, “We are going to sweep the election. We will cross 100 plus seats in this election. People are in for a change. They are fed up with Pinarayi Vijayan as the CM for the last 10 years. The question before the people in this election is whether this anti-people, arrogant CM has to continue for 5 more years. They are saying - not at all. This is the answer we are hearing from everywhere. Ayyappa's gold has been taken away. This Govt is trying to cover up the culprit and the case...People's court has given a verdict that they don't want a govt which supported the gold theft culprits...”

Puducherry Assembly elections | Approximate voter turnout as of 9 am

Kerelam Assembly elections | Approximate voter turnout as of 9 am 

Assam Assembly elections | Approximate voter turnout as of 9 am 

Keralam BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday cast his vote in the Assembly elections being held today and described the contest as important while urging voters to "make their vote about change".
Chandrasekhar, who is contesting from the high-profile Nemom Assembly constituency, voted at a polling station in Thiruvananthapuram.
After casting his vote, he told ANI, "This is an extremely important election. I am happy that I am a part of it as a voter and a candidate."

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged voters to exercise their constitutional voting right as voting across 296 seats in Keralam, Assam and Puducherry commenced earlier in the day.
In an 'X' post, Kharge pointed out the rising unemployment, financial distress, and growing uncertainty within Keralam under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) regime, while highlighting the responsibility of its people to showcase the nation what "progressive thinking truly means."
"My dear sisters and brothers of Keralam, You have always stood for education, dignity, secular values, and social justice. You have shown the nation what progressive thinking truly means. Now, once again, the responsibility lies in your hands. Over the past years, you have faced rising unemployment, financial distress, and growing uncertainty. Farmers, plantation workers, youth, and small business owners have all asked a simple question: "Where is the relief? Where is the opportunity?" Kerala's strength has always been its unity in diversity. Do not let division or distraction weaken that strength. I appeal to all to come out in large numbers and vote for a government that listens, cares, and delivers. Vote for justice. Vote for a better Keralam!," Kharge wrote in his 'X' post.
Furthermore, Kharge expressed confidence about the "palpable change" in Assam, while emphasising the weakened state unity by the BJP government in the past ten years. He urged people to restore the path of unity, welfare, and real development, adding that their vote would restore its pride and future.
"The change is palpable in Assam in this 2026 Assembly election. In the past 10 years, Assam's unity has been deliberately weakened - its social fabric strained, its resources exploited, and false narratives spread for political gain. Now is the time for the people of Assam to come together and defeat politics of division, exclusion, and apathy with the power of their vote. Choose a path of unity, welfare, and real development. Your vote can restore Assam's pride and future. I especially urge first-time voters to step out and vote for harmony and progress. Jai Hind Jai Assam," Kharge wrote on 'X'.
The Congress chief also highlighted the growing corruption, unemployment, drugs, paper leaks and misuse of Puducherry land, stressing that the elections are time for statehood, jobs, safety, honest governance, and dignity for every citizen of the Union Territory.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday urged voters to come out in numbers and cast their vote, while emphasising the importance of "each vote and voice" towards building "better Assam."
The response comes in the backdrop of single-phase polling, which began in Assam earlier in the day, across 126 constituencies.
"Today, Assam votes and each voice matters, each vote matters in the path of building a better Assam. On the occasion of this festival of democracy, I urge everyone to come out and vote in large numbers to strengthen democracy and take Assam to new heights," Sarna wrote on 'X'.

Speaking to ANI, State Congress president and Peravoor candidate Sunny Joseph said that he was confident that "UDF will win the majority seats. UDF will win more than 100 seats."

"The local body results will be repeated... We are hopeful... My appeal to the people is to exercise their franchise rightly to elect a government led by the UDF to negate the anti-policy of the present government... The Chief Minister's name will be decided in consultation with the high command".

From Pinarayi Vijayan's Dharmadam to the Rajeev Chandrasekhar vs V. Sivankutty clash in Nemom, discover the key seats deciding Kerala’s 2026 election mandate.

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Polling begins for all 126 assembly constituencies in Assam.

Polling commences in all 140 Assembly constituencies of Kerala.

Amid tight security, voting begins across Puducherry, in its enclaves including Karaikal.

Puducherry is set to vote today at 7 am for a total of 30 seats. A total of 10,14,070 electors are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the 30-member Legislative Assembly.
The electorate comprises 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the Third gender category. Out of this, 24,156 voters belong to the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category (aged 85 and above)
Speaking with ANI, Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P Jawahar shed light on the preparations for the polls. He said that 110 sector officers have been deployed across 1,099 polling stations, out of which 209 stations are categorised as vulnerable with central armed police force deployment.
He added that drones, flying squads and helplines are being used to track violations.
"The Election Department of Puducherry, through its district and returning officers, has made extensive arrangements. Logistics are crucial, with polling parties and materials being dispatched to stations on time. This process is tracked using drones and 110 sector officers across 1,099 polling stations... On security, multi-level measures are in place. Of these, 209 polling stations are categorised as vulnerable, where central armed police forces are deployed alongside local police to prevent incidents," he said.

Polling for the 126 seats in Assam will be held today. Votes will be counted on May 4. The polling will begin at 7 am. The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term. The Congress-led alliance includes Raijor Dal and CPI(M).

Silchar, District Commissioner Chachar Aayush Garg told ANI, “... We have deployed a total of 16,000 personnel overall, with all necessary logistics provided. Polling parties will arrive at their respective stations by this evening, and checks will be made to ensure everyone's safe arrival... For security, around 4,000 police officers have been deployed across 1,700 polling stations, supported by two companies of CAPF kept in reserve...”.

Ahead of the voting in Assam, Keralam and the Union Territory of Puducherry, the officials conducted mock polls at various polling booths on Thursday. The Mock polls are underway at polling booth 262 at Anappara Government School in Pathanamthitta in Keralam.
Mock polling is underway for the Assam Assembly Elections at polling station numbers 115 and 116 in Kamrup Metropolitan District and at polling station no. 9 at Girls' High School at Thrippunithura.
Voting preparation is also underway in Puducherry.