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Kerala election results: Early trends suggest setback for LDF; UDF leads in over 70 seats

Postal ballots are being counted in the first round of the process. The election was contested for all 140 seats in the Kerala Assembly

Election officials count postal ballots during the first round of vote counting for the Assembly elections at a counting centre, in Kozhikode, Kerala | PTI

Early trends show the UDF establishing an initial lead in Kerala as vote counting gets underway for the state assembly polls. Meanwhile, the LDF is trailing closely, and the BJP is currently leading in several key constituencies. 

According to news reports, as of 8:45 am, UDF is leading in 71 seats, LDF in 64, and NDA in 5 seats. 

Postal ballots are being counted in the first round of the process. The election was contested for all 140 seats in the Kerala Assembly. 

Early trends show K. Surendran leading for the BJP in Manjeshwar. In Nemom—a prestige battle for the BJP—the LDF's V. Sivankutty holds a slight edge over BJP veteran Rajeev Chandrasekhar. 

CPI(M) rebel G. Sudhakaran is leading in Ambalapuzha, while Congress's V.T Balram and K. Muraleedharan are leading in Thrithala and Vattiyoorkavu. 

Meanwhile in Peravoor, UDF's Sunny Joseph is leading during the early trends, while LDF's K. Shailaja is trailing. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Joseph won this seat, defeating CPI(M)'s Sakkeer Hussain by a margin of 3,172 votes. A voter turnout of 73.16 per cent was recorded in the constituency in these elections.