JOIN USKarunakaran has defeated the Congress candidate from United Democratic Front (UDF) Shahida Kamal with a margin of 64,427 votes. While Karunakaran bagged 3,85,522 votes, Shahida Kamal secured 3,21,095 votes. Meanwhile, BJP candidate K Surendran bagged 1,25,482, BSP candidate K H Madhavi secured 5,518 and Dalitha Paksha candidate P K Raman bagged 5,008 votes. Independent candidates Abbas Mudalappara and Mohan Naik bagged 2,245 and 2,046 votes respectively.
Out of total 1,899 postal votes, Karunakaran bagged 959, Shahida Kamal secured 422 while 114 votes were polled in favour of Surendran. While Madhavi bagged 5 and P K Raman secured 2 postal votes, 395 were invalid.
Decrease in lead
Karunakaran who won for the second time in the constituency has secured less margin compared to the 2004 elections. Karunakaran had bagged 4,37,284 votes and had won with a margin of 1,08,256 votes in the previous elections. However, the margin has been reduced to 64,427 in this election.
UDF candidate had bagged 3,29,028 vote while BJP secured 1,10,328 votes in 2004. Karunakaran was leading from the beginning of the counting process itself and never created anxiety in LDF camps. Meanwhile, Shahida Kamal was hopeful of here victory until the counting of 50 per cent booths were completed.
Victory procession
Party workers, who were waiting outside Kasaragod Government College counting station, welcomed Karunakaran offering bouquets. Party workers of Indian National League (INL) and People’s Democratic Party, which supported LDF in the election, were in the forefront to receive Karunakaran.
The victory procession proceeded from Vidyanagar to A K G Mandir. CPI(M) leaders P Raghavan, K P Sathishchandran, Manjeshwar MLA C H Kunhambu and others congratulated Karunakaran. Later another procession commenced from Hosangadi.