The UDF handed the LDF a humbling defeat in the 2026 Kerala assembly elections, sweeping as many as 102 seats. After 1977, this was the highest margin for the UDF. In the elections held after the emergency, the UDF had won 111 seats.

The LDF, which had won 99 seats in 2021, was reduced to just 35 seats. In districts like Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Wayanad and Malappuram, the UDF flaunted its might, leaving the LDF with zero seats. Sitting MLAs and Ministers had a bitter taste of anti-incumbency as 13 ministers lost their seats. Except in districts like Thrissur and Kannur, the LDF was totally swept away by the UDF wave.

From the outset, the trend was clear, as UDF secured a comfortable lead during the counting of postal ballots. The Congress and its allies then consolidated the lead across constituencies.

The sheer intensity of public sentiment was visible at Dharmadam, where Pinarayi Vijayan trailed in six rounds of counting. It was only in the 7th round that he gained a lead of over 1,500 votes.

Despite putting up strong contests in up to six seats, the NDA’s tally narrowed to just three victories: Nemom, Kazhakootam, and Chathannoor. In Nemom, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar won by a margin of 4,165 votes against LDF minister V Sivankutty. In Chathannoor, B B Gopakumar secured 50,634 votes against LDF's R Rajendran and won by a margin of 4,402. Meanwhile, V Muraleedharan secured Kazhakoottam after a neck-and-neck battle with MLA Kadakampally Surendran and finally won by over 300 votes.

The incumbent ministers and LDF MLAs didn't survive the rout. Among the losers are V N Vasavan, R Bindu, Veena George, J Chinchu Rani, Ramachandran Kadannappally, and M B Rajesh. Sitting MLAs K K Shailaja, V K Prasanth, Daleema, and U Prathibha, who were certain of a win, also suffered setbacks.

The Congress's decision to back rebels in constituencies like Ambalapuzha, Payyannur and Taliparamba proved to be a masterstroke, with the UDF sweeping all three constituencies.