Reflecting a high-octane political battle, Kerala witnessed a heavy voter turnout on Thursday, putting all the three major fronts in the fray on the edge.The near-record level polling is being attributed to the intense competition between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and, partially, to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which had resulted in the downsizing of the electors’ list by close to a million votes.According to the figures released after 8 pm, 78.23 per cent of the 2.71 crore voters had cast their votes, and this is higher than the 74.06 per cent polling recorded in the 2021 Assembly elections.Historically, high turnouts in Kerala have signalled periods of intense political friction. The state saw its highest-ever turnout in 1960 at 85.70 per cent, followed by 1987 at 80.53 per cent and 1977 at 79.20 per cent. The central question looming over this election is who this surge will benefit. While all three fronts claim the momentum favours them, the ground reality remains a matter of intense speculation.Speaking to mediapersons after casting his vote, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan exuded confidence about the chances of the LDF, saying, “We have achieved much across all sectors. That progress must continue. Even those in opposing fronts want development. People are certain that with the LDF, there is no room for anxiety. They remember the state of affairs 10 years ago and see that the progress of the last decade is rooted in the LDF government. We have always trusted the people, and they have trusted us.”CPM state secretary MV Govindan also expressed absolute confidence in the incumbent government’s prospects, stating there was no doubt there would be a continuation of governance in Kerala.Conversely, veteran Congress leader AK Antony dismissed these claims, asserting it is “100 per cent certain” that the UDF will return to power. Adding to the narrative, he said there was no doubt the UDF would win 100 plus seats. “I have travelled across Kerala four times in three months and have sensed the public pulse,” he said.Congress Working Committee member and MP Shashi Tharoor also felt that the high numbers indicate a public yearning for change. However, Tharoor also flagged the intensity of the contest in specific pockets, noting that the BJP has a possibility of opening its account in one or two places where a strong triangular fight took place, urging voters to be mindful of the ‘risks’ in those segments.BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar predicted a hung Assembly in the state, where the BJP would emerge as a decisive force. “People are yearning for change and change is coming,” he said.The massive democratic exercise was conducted across 30,495 booths spanning 140 constituencies. The 2.69-crore electorate voted to elect their nominees from a pool of 883 candidates who had engaged in a blistering 23-day campaign.