Voting began on Thursday in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, marking the start of the 2026 election cycle, with crores of voters deciding the future governments in these regions.
Polling started early in the morning under tight security arrangements, with officials ensuring smooth conduct across thousands of polling stations.
Massive Voter Turnout Expected
In Kerala, around 2.71 crore voters are eligible to vote across 140 Assembly constituencies. This includes 1.39 crore women, 1.32 crore men and 273 transgender voters, along with over 2.4 lakh overseas voters.Assam has about 2.5 crore voters who will decide the fate of 722 candidates across 126 constituencies. Voting is being held at more than 31,000 polling stations across the state.
In Puducherry, nearly 9.5 lakh voters are casting their votes across 30 Assembly seats, with over 1,000 polling stations set up. Officials have marked more than 200 booths as sensitive.
Key Political Battles
In Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party is aiming for a third consecutive term, while the Congress has fielded Gaurav Gogoi as a key face of its campaign.The campaign saw heated exchanges, with issues like jobs, migration and identity dominating debates. The BJP focused on protecting “jati, mati, bheti” while the Congress accused the ruling party of promoting divisive politics.
In Kerala, the contest is mainly between the ruling Left front led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Congress led United Democratic Front, and the BJP, which is trying to expand its presence in the state.
“The election is a fight over governance, development and corruption,” leaders from different parties said during campaigning.
In Puducherry, the ruling alliance led by N. Rangaswamy is facing a challenge from the Congress DMK alliance.
Security and Arrangements
Authorities have deployed heavy security across all polling stations to ensure peaceful voting. Mock polls were conducted before voting began to check the functioning of electronic voting machines.
Officials said, “All necessary arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair elections.”
What Lies Ahead
Results for these elections will be announced on May 4, along with results from other states including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
The outcome is expected to shape the political landscape ahead of future national elections, making this phase of polling crucial for all major parties.
