Kerala, Assam, Puducherry Elections Polling 2026 Date, Time and Full Schedule: Campaigning for the Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry ended on Tuesday evening, and now all eyes have shifted to voting day. More than 400 constituencies across the three regions will vote in a single phase on April 9.
When will the polling start in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry?
Voting in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will be held on April 9 in single-phase. Polling will begin at 7 am and is expected to continue till 6 pm in all three places.
The Election Commission has made full arrangements, with security forces and observers deployed to ensure smooth voting.
Kerala: Three-way contest
In Kerala, the election is mainly a three-cornered fight between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led NDA. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is leading the Left’s campaign and is aiming for a third straight term.
On the other side, the opposition includes leaders like VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala. Other key candidates include Chandy Oommen and Ramesh Pisharody. From the BJP, state president K. Surendran and C. Raghunath are among the prominent faces.
Assam: BJP vs Congress
In Assam, the contest is mainly between the BJP and Congress. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking a third term, while the Congress, led by Gaurav Gogoi, is trying to regain its footing in the state.
The BJP is hoping to win a majority on its own, highlighting governance and welfare schemes. Congress is trying to bounce back by promoting new leadership and forming alliances to attract voters unhappy with the current government.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, making it a high-energy contest between the BJP-led alliance and the Congress-led alliance.
In the 2021 elections, the NDA won 76 seats, while the Congress-led alliance got around 49. The BJP alone had won 60 seats, and Congress secured 29.
Puducherry: Straight fight with a twist
In Puducherry, the main contest is between the ruling NDA alliance (AINRC-BJP) and the Congress-DMK alliance. Chief Minister N Rangasamy is seeking another term, banking on his public image.
The Congress and DMK have joined hands to try and return to power. However, both sides may face the challenge of anti-incumbency.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay has also added interest to the election. His party initially announced candidates in all 30 seats before teaming up with an independent-backed group.
In the 2021 election, the AINRC won 10 seats and the BJP won 6, taking their alliance total to 16. The Congress-DMK alliance had won 8 seats.
Puducherry has 30 elected seats and 3 nominated members. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4 along with other states going to polls this month.