After the Left Democratic Front (LDF) suffered a crushing defeat in the assembly elections, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tendered the resignation of his government to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Monday (May 4, 2026).
The LDF was completely defeated by the United Democratic Front (UDF), which won 102 of the 140 seats in the assembly. The LDF secured 35 seats while the BJP won three seats.
Mr Vijayan, a senior figure in Kerala politics and one of the most influential leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has led the state for a decade after becoming Chief Minister in 2016.
He rose from student and trade union activism in Kannur to the top ranks of the CPI(M) and played a key role in shaping Kerala’s current political landscape and managing the Left’s longest continuous run in the state.
Published – May 6, 2026 1:19 PM IST
