UDF takes lead in Palakkad Assembly seat

Palakkad, Nov 23 (PTI) Congress-led UDF has taken the lead from the BJP-led 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, Congress candidate Rahul Mamkootathil is in the lead with 1,425 votes. He secured 28,062 votes against BJP candidate C Krishnakumar’s 26,637 votes in the seventh round of the total 14 rounds of the counting, according to the Election Commission of India.

Krishnakumar was in the lead earlier.

The Palakkad bypoll votes are being counted at Victoria College here, where the strong room was opened at 8 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.