UDF's Resounding Victory in Kerala Ends Decade-Long LDF Reign

The Congress-led UDF secured a landslide victory in Kerala's 2026 Assembly elections, unseating the LDF after a decade. The UDF clinched 102 seats, marking a political shift in the state, as the LDF dropped to 35 seats. High-profile losses marked the LDF's dramatic decline.

In a significant political shift, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) achieved a crushing victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, ending a decade of Left Democratic Front (LDF) governance. The UDF secured 102 seats out of 140, as opposed to the LDF's 35, signifying a dramatic decline for the incumbent coalition.

Key figures such as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan retained his Dharmadam constituency, but the narrative of the election was dominated by high-profile losses among his ministers. The outcome revealed a swing towards the UDF, led by the Congress with 63 seats and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) with 22 seats.

The results underscored dissatisfaction with the LDF, which garnered 26 seats for the CPI(M) and 8 for the CPI. The BJP made incremental gains with three seats, highlighting shifting political currents in a state traditionally polarised between UDF and LDF. The election was billed as a referendum on the LDF's governance characterized by allegations of arrogance and corruption, according to UDF leaders.