Kerala Minister George Kurian, shortly after casting vote, said they are expecting a "great mandate" for the NDA in the state. 

"We are requesting people to vote in favour of NDA," he said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has cast his vote at the Pinarayi RC Amala Basic Upper Primary School polling booth in Kannur.

The battle for 126 seats in Assam comes amid a bitter political row between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress over the corruption allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Sarma. The BJP is expecting a third straight term in the state.

Robot 'Nila', dressed in traditional attire, welcomes guests at Puducherry polling station.

Leaders arrive at polling booths to cast their votes, as voting begins in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.

Robot Nila welcomes voters at the VOC Government School polling booth as they arrive to cast their votes.

Voters form long queues to cast their vote at a polling station in Assam. Check NDTV's ground report:

Voters show their inked finger after exercising their franchise at a polling station in Jalukbari assembly constituency.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Kerala BJP President and candidate from Nemom, arrives to cast his vote. He is seen standing in a queue awaiting his turn at a polling station in Thiruvananthapuram.

The NDA is hoping for a second straight term in Puducherry, where 30 seats are up for election today. The pitch, though, has been queered by the entry of the fledgling TVK, which has set up multi-cornered contests in many seats.

The constituents of the ruling NDA in Puducherry are the AINRC (All India NR Congress), BJP, the AIADMK, and the LJK (Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi). The Opposition INDIA bloc includes the Congress, the DMK and the VCK.

The TVK, headed by actor-politician Vijay, has fielded two sitting MLAs. Sai J Saravanan Kumar was also a minister in the AINRC-BJP government. The party has also fielded former legislators in four other constituencies.

The statehood issue has gained traction in this election with the BJP rejecting Chief Minister N Rangasamy's demand for assurance on statehood and ejecting LJK from the NDA, citing that party chief Jose Charles Martin, son of lottery baron Santiago Martin, does not have roots in the former French colony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, said: "As polling begins for the Assam Assembly elections 2026, I appeal to the people of Assam to exercise their franchise in large numbers. I hope that the state's youth and women voters participate enthusiastically and make this election a celebration of democracy and public duty."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of Puducherry to vote today.

"As the Puducherry Assembly elections commence, I urge every voter to come out and participate in record numbers. I especially appeal to our youth and to women voters to strengthen the process of democracy. Every vote matters in shaping the future of Puducherry," he wrote in a post on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the people of Kerala to vote in large numbers in the Assembly Elections today. "Record participation will add vigour to Keralam's democratic spirit. I particularly request the youth and women of the state to step forward and vote in large numbers," he wrote on X.

Voting for the high-stakes polling in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry has kick-started today. While the BJP is seeking another win in Assam, Kerala's Left Front is aiming for a fifth straight term. In Puducherry, N Rangaswamy's AINRC is plotting a fourth win.

Kerala minister Suresh Gopi arrived at a polling booth to cast his vote.

A mock polling is underway at a polling station in Assam's Kamrup.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, urged people to vote today. 

"Today, Assam votes and each voice matters, each vote matters in the path of building a better Assam. On the occasion of this festival of democracy, I urge everyone to come out and #Vote in large numbers to strengthen democracy and take Assam to new height," he said.

The stage is set for high-stakes polling in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry today, with voting kicking off at 7 am. While the BJP is seeking another win in Assam, Kerala's Left Front is aiming for a fifth straight term. In Puducherry, N Rangaswamy's AINRC is plotting a fourth win.

The voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. The results will be declared on May 4.