New Delhi, May 19 (IANS): Despite mega efforts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unlikely to open its account in Kerala in the 2019 general elections, according to the IANS-CVOTER exit poll.

The poll has predicted 15 seats for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) -- a gain of 3 seats -- and five for the ruling CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) -- a loss of 3 seats.

The Congress alone is projected to win 12 seats and its alliance partners 3 seats.

In terms of vote share, the UDF is projected to get 42.3 per cent votes and the LDF 35.1 per cent. The NDA is expected to get 14.6 per cent votes.

In the outgoing Lok Sabha, the UDF had 12 seats -- the Congress 8, the Indian Union Muslim League 2 and the Kerala Congress-Mani and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) one seat each. The LDF had eight seats.

Kerala voted on April 23 to elect 20 Lok Sabha candidates. It recorded 77.68 per cent voter turnout, up from 74.02 per cent in 2014.

The Congress President Rahul Gandhi is contesting from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency of the state, apart from Amethi, his traditional seat, in Uttar Pradesh.