UDF Wins 102 Seats in Kerala Assembly, Ends LDF Rule

The United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress party, secured a decisive majority in the Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 of the 140 seats and ending the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) decade-long rule in the state.

Election Commission data showed the Congress taking 63 seats, with its key ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), claiming 22. The CPI(M)-led LDF finished with 35 seats. The results, announced on Tuesday, marked a significant shift in Kerala's political landscape, with the UDF poised to form the next government.

Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, the Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha, emerged as the frontrunner for chief minister. Party sources indicated he has the backing of 52 out of the Congress's 62 MLAs in the new assembly. Other contenders include V.D. Satheesan, elected from Paravur, and Ramesh Chennithala, who won from Haripad. All three are longtime Congress figures. Venugopal, who did not contest the state polls, deferred questions on the leadership choice, stating the party would follow its internal procedures and announce a decision soon.

Venugopal played a central role in the UDF's campaign, overseeing the "Indira Guarantee"...