Chief minister Oommen Chandy (Cong) leads in puthupally constituency over nearest rival Sindhu Joy (CPI-M) by a margin of 1837 votes.

The CPI-M-led LDF is leading in 52 constituencies while ruling Congress-led UDF is ahead of its rival in 32 seats as counting of votes for 140 Assembly constituencies progressed.

Those leading included M M Lawrence and M Vijayakumar (both CPI-M). CPI-M stalwart V S Achuthanandan has established an unassailable lead of 8,960 votes over his Congress rival Satheesan Pacheni in the Malampuzha seat in Palakkad district when 43 per cent of votes were counted.

While Lawrence (CPI-M) is leading by 54 votes over K V Thomas (INC) in Ernakulam, M Vijayakumar is leading by 200 votes over Mohan Kumar (INC) in Thiruvananthapuram North. In Malampuzha, Achuthanandan is leading by 118 votes over his rival Satheeshan Pacheni (INC).

LDF Convener Paloli Muhammadkutty and CPI-M leader Kodiyeri Balakirshnan are leading in Ponnani and Thalassery respectively.

DIC-K leader K Muraleedharan is trailing LDF-supported PTA Rahim (Independent) in Koduvally.

Agriculture minister and JSS leader K R Gowry trails her CPI-M rival Arif in Aroor.