Wayanad bypoll: Low voter turnout dampens Congress spirits
Political observers say that the massive turnout of crowd during the campaigns of Priyanka in the constituency is not reflected in the polling.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is leading in 18 of 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, dealing a severe blow to the ruling CPI-M-led LDF.
The BJP opened its Lok Sabha account in Kerala as the saffron party candidate Suresh Gopi won Thrissur with a comfortable margin.
The LDF was able to win only one seat in the state. CPI-M candidate ,state Minister for Welfare of SC/ST and Backward Classes K Radhakrishnan emerged victorious over UDF’s sitting MP Ramya Haridas in Alathur. Radhakrishnan remains the only saving face for the CPI-M in an election swept away by the Congress and its allies in Kerala.
Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar conceded defeat to Congress’ Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, but said that the election result in Kerala indicates that people are increasingly supporting the saffron party. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V.Muraleedharan is trailing in Attingal constituency.
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has scripted victory again with a lead of 3,50,030 votes over his nearest rival Annie Raja of the CPI in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency
Despite a UDF wave across Kerala, there is a pall of gloom among senior Congress leaders assembled at Indira Bhavan, the party’s state headquarters, as party stalwart K Muraleedharan is facing defeat in Thrissur . Muraleedharan is in third place in Thrissur where BJP candidate Suresh Gopi is leading over his CPI rival Sunil Kumar.
Congress candidate Shafi Parambil won the Vatakara seat, defeating former state health minister and senior CPI-M leader KK Shylaja. Losing Vadakara, once a stronghold of CPI-M , even after fielding a strong candidate to survive any wave, has literally shocked the CPI-M
In Pathanamthitta,Anto Antony is inching towards his fourth victory in the seat by a majority of nearly 50,000 votes over his nearest rival CPI-M leader and former state finance minister Thomas Issac. BJP candidate ,Anil Antony, the son of senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister AK Antony, is in third position here.
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