...shock and awe of 2026 polls...

Keralam: a Game of musical chairs

Keralam maintained its tradition of alternating power between major coalitions, as the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) unseated the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Seat Count: Elections were held for 140 seats.

Key Drivers: Analysts attributed the UDF win to successful campaigning by Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, which helped overcome internal party factionalism.

BJP Presence: The BJP made minor inroads but secured only three seats in the State Assembly.

Assam: BJP Extends Dominance 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a historic third consecutive term in the northeastern state.

 Landslide victory: The BJP-led coalition won 102 out of 126 seats, a significant increase from their 2021 tally of 75.

Leadership: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma won his seat in Jalukbari and is set for a second term.

Opposition: The Congress Party, despite a campaign led by Gaurav Gogoi, was reduced to just 19 seats.

Puducherry: NDA holds fort

The Union Territory saw the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) return to govern for a second consecutive term.

Coalition Success: The alliance led by the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC), featuring Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy, won a comfortable margin over the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

New Dimensions: The election marked the entry of actor Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which added a new competitive layer to the local political landscape.

TAMIL NADU

Party Name                              Seats Won

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)         108

DMK    59

AIADMK)         47

Indian National Congress       5

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK)    4

Communist Party of India (CPI)          2

Communist Party of India (Marxist)   2

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)   2

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)  2

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)   1

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK)           1

Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) 1

Total    234