Counting of votes has begun in the Kerala Assembly elections. All three political fronts in the state — CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — are confident of a victory. However, Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF have emerged as the favourites. The two Kerala Congress factions in LDF and UDF locked horns in four seats -- Kaduthuruthy, Thodupuzha, Idukki and Changanacherry. Of these, both factions are leading in two seats each. Joseph (UDF) leading in first Kaduthuruthy, Thodupuzha and Jose (LDF) ahead in Idukki and Changanacherry.
The ruling LDF maintained its lead in 88 of the 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala, as per trends available till now. 'Metro man' E Sreedharan, Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate from Kerala's Palakkad, is leading from the constituency as counting of votes is underway in the state. The BJP has fielded Sreedharan who is contesting against sitting MLA Shafi Parambil of Congress and CP Pramod of CPI-M.Sreedharan, the architect of the metro rail system in the country, joining the BJP was a much-celebrated event among the party lovers in and out of the state. BJP had hoped to get the benefit from their undeclared Chief Ministerial face, Sreedharan's candidature. This is a seat held by the UDF since 2011. BJP is pinning hopes on its increasing vote share in the constituency, which comprises Palakkad Municipality and is one of the two civic bodies in which the BJP is in power in the state.