Thiruvananthapuram, May 4 : As the counting got underway in Kerala on Monday, the Congress leaders appeared to be confident about their performance. A specially erected 'shamiyana' in front of the Congress state headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, alongside reports of bulk orders for ladoos, clearly signalled that the party was bracing for a victory celebration.

As counting began for the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly election, early postal ballot trends pointed to a closely fought contest.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) were involved in a neck-and-neck race.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, opened its account in four seats where it is leading.

Despite the early numbers, confidence remains high across camps. State Communist Party of India (Marxist) secretary M.V. Govindan expressed strong optimism that the LDF is on course for a historic third consecutive term.

The Left is banking on its governance record, welfare delivery, and infrastructure push under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The UDF, meanwhile, has anchored its campaign on anti-incumbency, pointing to rising prices, corruption allegations, and unemployment.

Buoyed by exit poll projections favouring a change of guard, Congress leaders appear confident that public sentiment has translated into votes, even as internal leadership tussles linger in the background.

The NDA is aiming to expand its footprint by increasing vote share beyond 20 per cent, hoping to emerge as a decisive force if the verdict turns fragmented.

High-decibel campaigning and outreach to key communities are seen as its primary strengths.

Across Keralaâ??s 140 constituencies, counting is progressing under tight security, with electronic voting machine tallies expected to sharpen trends through the morning.

Key battlegrounds include Dharmadam, Paravur, Haripad, Thrissur, Palakkad, Nemom, and Nilambur.

With early leads offering no decisive advantage yet, the state awaits clarity on whether the initial edge for the LDF will hold or if the UDFâ??s visible confidence will translate into a change in power.

At Kalamassery, the constituency of State Industries Minister P. Rajeeve, voting got delayed as the keys to the strong room appeared to be missing.

/IANS