Kozhikode (Keralam) [India], April 2 (ANI): Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Thursday expressed confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prospects for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, predicting a "surprising" outcome for the 'lotus' and its allies.

"It is going very well. There will be a lot of surprises when the results come. With a good number of 'lotus' and their allies, people will be happy," Suresh Gopi said.

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The BJP MP conducted a roadshow in Dharmadam, the home constituency of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The show was held from Pandyala Mukku to Pinarayi town

The actor-turned politician had helped the BJP script a historic win in Kerala in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat during the 2024 general elections.

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On Wednesday, the Kerala High Court held as maintainable a petition challenging Suresh Gopi's poll victory during the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Thrissur. It held that the petition will go to trial and be heard on merits.

The petition was filed by Thrissur-based Binoy AS, a leader of the All India Youth Federation the youth wing of the Communist Party of India CPI.

The petition alleges that religious symbols and sentiments were used during the election campaign to influence voters, which, if proven, would amount to a violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA). It also claims that promises of benefits, including monetary inducements, were made to voters.

On Tuesday, BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Anoop Antony from the Thiruvalla constituency for the 2026 Keralam Legislative Assembly elections expressed confidence in the party's growth and prospects.

"BJP in Kerala has always grown... In 2011, we were less than 10%; today, we have reached 20%. BJP is the only party which has grown in the last 10 years. In these elections, the BJP is expecting a huge victory, just like the last Lok Sabha elections and the recent Trivandrum Municipal Corporation elections. This election is going to be a landmark for Kerala's politics... People have been fed up with both the UDF and the LDF... They are looking for a change," he said.

The Election Commission of India, on March 15, announced that the 2026 Keralam Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The tenure of the current assembly is set to conclude on May 23.

The BJP-led NDA is aiming to unseat the incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and gain control of the 140-member Keralam Niyamasabha. The LDF has governed the state for approximately a decade, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan leading consecutive terms.

In the Keralam Legislative Assembly election held in a single phase on April 6, 2021, the results were declared on May 2, 2021. The incumbent LDF retained power with 99 seats, marking the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance secured consecutive terms in the state. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA saw a decline in vote share and lost its only seat in the Assembly. Following the victory, Pinarayi Vijayan became the first Chief Minister of Kerala to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term in office.

In terms of vote share, the LDF received 41.5 per cent of the total votes, significantly ahead of the UDF, which secured 38.4 per cent. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured 11.4 per cent of the votes but failed to win a single seat in the election.

Among individual parties in 2021, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) emerged as the single largest party with 62 seats and a vote share of 25.5 per cent. The Indian National Congress (INC) won 21 seats with a comparable vote share of 25.2 per cent, while the Communist Party of India (CPI) secured 17 seats. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key UDF ally, won 15 seats. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)