Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 23 (IANS): The results of the Assembly bypolls on three seats in Kerala were on expected lines for the three major political fronts in the state.
At the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi won her debut election in style with a massive margin of 4,10,931 votes.
In the Palakkad Assembly constituency, though touted to be a thrilling triangular fight, in the end the state Youth Congress President Rahul Mamkoothathil won with 18,840 votes.
In the Chelakkara Assembly constituency on expected lines the CPI-M retained their seat when former legislator U.R. Pradeep won with a margin of 12,201 votes.
While the Congress and the CPI-M retained their seats, the BJP did not win any seat. However, it managed to keep its second place in Palakkad, though with around 10,000 votes less.
Reacting to her expected victory, Priyanka Gandhi took to social media and wrote, “My dearest sisters and brothers of Wayanad, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and fights for you as one of your own.
“I look forward to being your voice in Parliament! Thank you for giving me this honour and even more for the immense love you have given me.”
“My colleagues in the UDF, leaders from across Kerala, workers, volunteers and my office colleagues who worked incredibly hard in this campaign, thank you for your support, for tolerating my 12 hour a day (no food, no rest) car journeys, and for fighting like true soldiers for the ideals we all believe in.
“To my mother, Robert and my two jewels - Raihan and Miraya, no gratitude is ever enough for the love and courage you give me. And to my brother, Rahul, you are the bravest of them all… thank you for showing me the way and having my back, always,” wrote Priyanka.
State Congress President and Kannur Lok Sabha member K. Sudhakaran said the people of Kerala have broken the back of the BJP and voted against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s governance.
“This is a vote against Vijayan as in Palakkad see the huge margin of votes for Rahul Mamkoothathil and the reduced margin of victory for the CPI-M at Chelakkara,” said Sudhakaran.
However, the ruling CPI-M led Left Convener T.P. Ramakrishnan said the results clearly show that the governance of the Left government is intact.
“We retained the Chelakkara seat and managed to get more votes at Palakkad and brought down the votes of the BJP (which came second but with around 10,000 votes less as compared to the 2021 Assembly polls). At Palakkad the Congress got the support of communal elements. One cannot clearly say if all the votes of the Left in Wayanad were polled,” said Ramakrishnan.