After nearly a month of intense campaigning, single-phase polling across Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry ended on Thursday, with turnout reaching record levels.
This has left only two states—West Bengal and Tamil Nadu—to vote on April 23, with the former to see a second phase of voting on April 29 as well, before the votes for all places are counted on May 4.
Notably, Assam and Puducherry have now witnessed their highest-ever voter turnouts in Assembly elections so far, according to a statement from the Election Commission (EC).
Kerala
Kerala recorded an estimated voter turnout of 78.03 per cent across 30,495 booths as of 8 PM.
Kozhikode topped the turnout chart with 80.83 per cent, while Pathanamthitta reported the lowest at 70.70 per cent.
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The elections here feature a three-way contest between the ruling LDF alliance led by CM Pinarayi Vijayan, which currently holds 99 of the Assembly's 140 seats and is seeking a historic third term in power, the Opposition UDF alliance led by V.D. Satheesan, which has 41 seats and is riding the anti-incumbency wave for a comeback, and the NDA, led by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, which attempts to capitalise on both alliances' flaws, and is looking to expand its footprint in the state.
Assam
Polling across the state's 126 Assembly constituencies finished at 5 PM, with an estimated voter turnout of 85.38 per cent—surpassing its own turnout figure of 82.04 per cent in 2021.
About 16 constituencies, especially in the minority-dominated areas of the state, have seen historic turnouts of more than 90 per cent, which is expected to have a major impact on the outcome of the elections.
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83 constituencies have seen about 80-89 per cent of people casting their vote, while the remaining have seen about 70-79 per cent of people casting their votes.
Dalgaon recorded the highest voter turnout at 95.53 per cent, while New Guwahati registered the lowest at 72.05 per cent.
Assam also faces a battle between the ruling BJP alliance led by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who seeks to retain incumbency in the face of a challenge from the Asom Sonmilito Morcha's Gogoi trio, with the TMC looking to make inroads into the state.
Puducherry
Despite its small number of constituencies (30), the Union Territory's highly contested seats registered a poll percentage of 89.83 per cent.
This election sees the ruling NDA alliance, led by CM N. Rangasamy from the AINRC, fight to stay alive in the fray, as it takes on Puducherry Congress president and Lok Sabha MP V. Vaithilingam from the Congress-DMK alliance.
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A third face in this three-way battle is the Vijay-led TVK, which aims to make inroads into the state, and is expected to influence the outcome based on a combination of factors, such as the election arithmetic, caste equations, and grassroots connect.