Youth to shape Assam polls, women voters likely decisive in Kerala

Youth would decide Assam

• Youth voters form 28.8 percent of Assam's electorate.
• Women voters are the key swing group in Kerala at 50.9 percent.
• West Bengal votes in two phases; results announced May 4.

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Youth voters are set to play a decisive role in the upcoming Assam elections, while women voters could emerge as the key swing group in Kerala, according to a Moneycontrol analysis of electoral roll data across poll-bound states.

Among the major states heading to the polls, Assam has the highest share of young voters, with those aged 18–29 accounting for nearly 28.8 per cent of the electorate. This includes about 5.8 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19 and 66.3 lakh voters in the 20-29 age group, out of a total electorate of 2.5 crore.

The strong youth presence means political parties may increasingly focus on employment, education, migration and entrepreneurship opportunities, issues that typically resonate strongly with younger voters.

In contrast, Kerala’s electoral dynamics are likely to be shaped more by women voters, who make up 50.9 percent of the electorate, giving them a slight but meaningful numerical advantage over men.

Kerala has 138 lakh women voters compared with 131 lakh men, out of a total electorate of 2.7 crore. Youth participation in the state is relatively lower compared with Assam, with voters aged 18–29 accounting for around 18.2 percent of the electorate.

In Tamil Nadu, youth voters account for 20.7 percent of the electorate, while women make up 50.9 percent of voters, maintaining a gender balance like Kerala. The state has the largest electorate among the group, with 5.68 crore voters.

West Bengal, another major state in the analysis, has 21.1 percent youth voters, though the share of women voters is slightly lower at 48.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Puducherry stands out for having the highest proportion of women voters, with females accounting for 52.9 percent of the electorate, despite its relatively small voter base.

The demographic composition suggests campaign narratives could vary sharply across states, with youth-centric policies likely to dominate in Assam, while women-focused welfare, healthcare and social policies could take centre stage in Kerala.

The Election Commission of India announced the polling schedule on Sunday. All states except West Bengal will vote in a single phase, while West Bengal’s election will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with results for all states to be announced on May 4.

The political stakes are high. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will attempt to retain Assam and expand its presence in West Bengal, while also seeking to make electoral inroads in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.