The BJP looks set to open its account in Kerala with O Rajagopal enjoying a comfortable lead in the Nemom constituency down south in Thiruvananthapuram
Significantly, there are several constituencies in which the BJP candidate is in second position, a considerable gain from earlier elections.
In the north, in Manjeshwar, K. Surendran is behind P.B. Abdul Razak of the Muslim League. In Kasaragod, N.A. Nellikkunnu of the Muslim League is ahead of Ravisha Thantri Kuntar of the BJP. Sobha Surendran in Palakkad, is in a neck-and-neck race with the Congress.
Down south, in Vattiyoorkavu, BJP Sstate president Kummanam Rajasekharan trails K. Muraleedharan of the Congress.
The BJP presently enjoys a vote share of 11.1 per cent as of now, a major jump from its 2011 vote share of 6.15 per cent.