As the counting progresses, Congress candidate Rahul Mamkootathil is won with a huge vote margin of 18,840.
Palakkad constituency is witnessing a close neck-to-neck battle in the constituency as both BJP and UDF candidate surges as the counting progresses. Minutes after, Congress’ Rahul Mamkootathil showed a leading trend, BJP candidate C Krishnakumar has once again took the lead with a vote margin of 963.
As the counting progresses to Round 2, Congress candidate Rahul Mamkootathil was able to keep up the pace and is now leading with 1331 votes.
As per the initial trends, as the Round 1 of counting comes to an end, BJP candidate C. Krishnakumar was leading with 858 votes from the constituency. It is to be noted that BJP had an upper hand in the constituency in the previous election as well and in the 2021 election, BJP candidate E. Sridharan lost to the three-time MLA Shafi Parambil by a mere 3,859 votes.
However, the saffron party was not able to make a vote margin as before which gives a slight hope for the other candidates.
Palakkad by-election is one of the important constituency to be look out for as it has witnessed a strong triangular fight in the country. The Congress-led UDF, the CPI(M)-led LDF and the BJP has given an equal competition to each other. The three-way battle can be regarded to be completely unpredictable.
The LDF had fielded Congress turncoat P Sarin, Congress has nominated youth leader Rahul Mamkootathil. The BJP had fielded state general secretary and former Palakkad municipality chairman C. Krishnakumar.
Keeping aside LDF and UDF, the seat has been one of the most favourable seats of the saffron party as they had successfully secured the second position, pushing the left front to the third in the past two election.
The by-election was held following the resignation of Congress’ Shafi Parambil, who vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara in the general election this year.