It was clear by noon on Thursday, that the Left Democratic Front was set to come to power in Kerala, shunting out a UDF government that was perceived to be not just corrupt, but also arrogant. Just on the eve of the result, a joke about outgoing Chief Minister Oommen Chandy always demanding proof regardless of the remarks made to him was doing the rounds.

Left party cadre and supporters began to celebrate across the state, beating drums and bursting crackers. In Thrissur, some one had come up with the idea of distributing red laddoos.