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Kerala Lok Sabha election results: Congress-led UDF set to win 19 out of 20 seats, LDF decimated, BJP continues winless run

Kerala election results: For the BJP, yet to win a seat on it's own in Kerala, the initial trends are not favourable.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is set to win in Wayanad by a huge margin

Kerala election results 2019: In direct contrast to the national trend, the Congress and it’s allies swept to a resounding victory in Kerala with formidable leads in 19 out of the state’s 20 parliamentary seats. The CPM-led LDF, which rules the state, has been decimated, it’s sole candidate headed for a win in the coastal Alappuzha constituency in central Kerala. For the BJP, its winless drought in Kerala continues, with it’s candidates unable to capitalise on the gains it expected through the Sabarimala agitation.

Having conceded defeat in his family pocketborough of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will have his path cut out to the Lok Sabha through the remarkable win he was able to register in Wayanad, a constituency gifting him a record 4 lakh-plus winning margin. His party’s wins transcended even across traditional Communist bastions like Palakkad, Alathur and Kasaragod where Congress have struggled to make inroads in the past. In 10 of the 20 seats, UDF candidates’ winning margins crossed 1 lakh votes.

Congress Kerala chief Mullappally Ramachandran and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, demanded the resignation of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan after his party’s devastating rout in the state. “Pinarayi Vijayan must meet the Governor today and hand over his resignation. He has no moral right to continue in power,” said Chennithala.

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For the LDF, the defeats, especially in it’s stronghold seats in Malabar and central Kerala, will force the leadership to go back to the drawing-board and devise mechanisms to prevent the erosion of support among the public. In a year’s time, Vijayan’s government will face the local body polls, and then a year later, the all-important Assembly polls. For the coalition, it’s solace lies in winning Alappuzha, which has been with the Congress for the last ten years. It also prevented the Congress from making a sweep across the state.

Yet again, the results prove that the BJP has not gained enough electoral support to win over a constituency on it’s own. Like in 2014, it will end up in the second position in Thiruvananthapuram constituency, and third in all other 19 seats. It’s hopes of securing a respectable second position in Pathanamthitta, Palakkad and Thrissur seats have been dashed. K Surendran, the popular state general secretary, improved the party’s vote-share in Pathanamthitta but lost out to Anto Antony of the Congress.

First uploaded on: 23-05-2019 at 12:47 IST
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