BJP's Anil Antony cast his vote in Thiruvananthapuram, calls Keralam polls 'decisive'

He called the polls "one of the decisive elections in Keralam's history."

Speaking to ANI, Antony said, "This election is going to be one of those decisive elections in Keralam's history...After this election, you will see BJP emerge as a prominent pole in Keralam."

Polling for the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections is underway in a single phase, with voters turning out across constituencies to decide the fate of candidates in the 140-member Legislative Assembly.

The elections are being closely watched as a key political contest, with the UDF aiming to unseat the CPI(M)-led LDF government, which has been in power for the past decade. The BJP, meanwhile, is seeking to expand its presence in the state. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

Earlier in the day, Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed confidence in the Left Democratic Front (LDF)'s victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, saying that the public trusts the ruling alliance.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Kannur, Vijayan said that "false and communal propaganda" cannot defeat the LDF.

"False propaganda cannot defeat the LDF. We always trust the people, and the people trust us. We have travelled with the people for the last ten years, and that journey must continue. We are with the people, and the people are with us. Communal propaganda cannot defeat us," he said.

In the south-Indian state, over 2,6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies.

The electorate comprises 2,69,53,644 registered voters, in which the total number of female voters is 1,38,27,319, the number of male voters is 1,31,26,048, and the number of Third gender category voters is 277.

Among them, around 4,24,518 voters are in the 18-19 age group, and 2,04,608 voters are in the senior citizen category, aged 85 years and above.

For a smooth voting process, 30,471 polling stations have been set up, out of which 119 are logistic and voter machine distribution centres and 41 are vote counting centres. (ANI)