National: The Congress-led UDF has again taken the lead from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which was ahead in the earlier rounds in the Palakkad Assembly bypoll as the counting of votes commenced on Saturday.

With the counting of votes underway, BJP candidate C Krishnakumar is in the lead with 464 votes in the sixth round of the total 14 rounds of counting, according to the Election Commission of India.

Krishnakumar got 24,332 votes and Congress candidate Rahul Mamkootathil secured 23,868 votes. Mamkootathil was in the lead earlier. The Palakkad bypoll votes are being counted at Victoria College, where the strong room was opened at 8:00 am.

Among the 10 candidates contesting, the main contenders are Rahul Mamkootathil from the Congress-led UDF, C Krishnakumar from the BJP-led NDA, and P Sarin from the CPI(M)-led LDF. The by-election was necessitated following the resignation of Congress leader Shafi Parambil, who vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara in the general election this year.

Bypolls 

The counting of votes cast in the bypolls for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and the Palakkad and Chelakkara assembly constituencies in Kerala commenced at 8:00 am on Saturday (November 23).

The counting of votes began with the postal ballots being taken up first. Bypolls were held in Wayanad Lok Sabha and Chelakkara assembly constituencies on November 13 and in Palakkad on November 20.

Initially the bypolls were to be held in all three seats on November 13, but the by-election in Palakkad was postponed to November 20 due to the Kalpathi Radhotsavam festival.

Palakkad bypoll

In the Palakkad bypoll, 10 candidates contested, with the top contenders being Rahul Mamkootathil from the Congress-led UDF, C Krishnakumar from the BJP-led NDA, and P Sarin from the CPI(M)-led LDF.

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.

Chelakkara bypoll

There were six candidates in the bypolls for the Chelakkara assembly constituency, but the fight was between LDF's UR Pradeep, a former MLA, ex-MP Ramya Haridas of UDF and BJP's K Balakrishnan. The by-election in Chelakkara was necessitated after K Radhakrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alathur.

LDF's Pradeep leads by over 9,000 votes in Chelakkara

Ruling LDF candidate UR Pradeep steadily increased his lead by over 9,000 votes as the counting of votes was completed in six rounds in Chelakkara Assembly bypoll in Kerala on Saturday. The Left candidate has been retaining his lead since the very beginning of the counting of votes against his nearest rivals.

As per the figures released by the Election Commission at 10.55 am, Pradeep was leading by a margin of 9,017 votes against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Ramya Haridas after the counting of votes was completed in six rounds. While Pradeep got 32,528 votes in the sixth round, Haridas secured 23,511 votes and BJP's K Balakrishnan received 13,590 votes, according to EC figures.

Though there were six candidates in the fray in Chelakkara, the main contest was between Pradeep and Haridas. NK Sudheer, the nominee of the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK), a political outfit recently floated by Nilambur MLA P V Anvar who had quit the LDF, could garner 2,097 votes only as six rounds were completed.

As their candidate retained his lead, the Left camp in Chelakkara began their victory celebration by distributing sweets and beating drums. Pradeep, who has almost ensured his victory, told reporters here that Chelakkara has always supported the LDF and people of the segment didn't fall for false promises of political rivals.

A bypoll was necessitated in Chelakkara segment, a Left bastion for years, as the then MLA and former Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan was elected to Lok Sabha this year. The counting of votes in the segment commenced at 8 am with postal ballots being taken up first. The strong rooms, where the EVMs were kept, were opened more than an hour before counting began.

The bypoll for the Chelakkara assembly seat was held on November 13.