Palakkad

Kerala minister M B Rajesh on Thursday cast his vote in the ongoing Assembly elections and expressed confidence that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will return to power for a third consecutive term.

Rajesh, who is contesting from the Thrithala Assembly constituency as an LDF candidate, voted in Palakkad and said the ruling alliance is poised to secure a stronger mandate. He also criticised the BJP, alleging that it is attempting to bring “North Indian political culture” into Kerala.

“LDF will return with more seats and create history with a third term,” he said, adding that there is little possibility of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) forming the government. He claimed that the opposition is facing multiple corruption allegations, which have eroded public trust.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also voiced confidence in the LDF’s prospects after casting his vote in Kannur. He said the alliance continues to enjoy public support and dismissed attempts to defeat it through “false and communal propaganda.”

Polling for the 140-member Kerala Assembly began at 7 am, with a significant voter turnout reported across the state. The election is primarily a contest between the ruling LDF and the UDF, with the BJP-led NDA also in the race.

More than 2.69 crore voters are eligible to participate in the polls, including over 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 voters from the third gender category. Around 4.24 lakh first-time voters aged 18–19 are casting their ballots, while over 2 lakh voters are above 85 years of age.

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The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.