M V Shreyams Kumar of LJD wins Rajya Sabha seat from Kerala

In the bypoll held yesterday in Kerala for one vacant Rajya Sabha seat, M V Shreyams Kumar of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), an ally of the ruling Left Democratic Front, sailed to victory.

 

He defeated Congress rival Lal Varghese Kalpakavady by 37 votes. While Mr Kumar bagged 88 votes, Mr



Varghese got 41. One vote was declared invalid.

 

A two-time legislator, Shreyams Kumar won the Rajya Sabha seat held by his late father, M P Veerendra Kumar. The death of the 83-year veteran leader on May 28 had necessitated the bypoll.