UDF leading in 19 seats; Rahul Gandhi way ahead

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress led-UDF is leading in 19 out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala with AICC President Rahul Gandhi and two others ahead of their rivals with over one lakh votes.

As per the latest trends, Rahul Gandhi, who contested from Wayanad constituency, has till 12 PM garnered 1,60,121 votes, while Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P K Kunhalikutty from Malappuram has a lead of 1,37,334 votes.

Dean Kuriakose, a Youth Congress leader contesting from Idukki, also has a lead of 1,10,402 votes.

Thiruvananthapuram candidate Shashi Tharoor isleading with 13,815 votes against BJP candidate Kummanam Rajashekharan, who had resigned as Mizoram Governor to try his luck in the poll fray.

Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam is trailing in Ernakulam constituency, where Congress candidate Hibi Edenis leading by 60,493 votes.

The ruling LDF continues to lead in Alapuzha constituency, where sitting MLA A M Arif is contesting on a CPI(M) ticket.

Arif has got a narrow lead of 625 against



UDF candidate Shanimol Usman.

In Palakkad, two-time sitting MP M B Rajesh istrailing by 26,808 against Congress candidate V K Sreekandan.

In politically volatile Vatakara constituency, CPI(M) strongman P Jayarajan is trailing by 31,906 votes against Congress leader K Muraleedharan.

Making her poll debut in the reserved constituency of Alathur against two-time CPI(M) MP P K Biju, Ramya Haridas of Congress is leading by 76,204 votes.

BJP, which was hopeful of opening its account to the Lok Sabha from Kerala for the first time, is trailing in most of the seats.

The only respite for the saffron party, which had tried to galvanise votes, riding on the Sabarimala women entry issue, is in Thiruvananthapuram constituency, where Rajashekharan has been steady in the second position behind Tharoor with 1,25,986 votes.

Two Malayalam film actors, sitting MPs Innocent of CPI(M) and Suresh Gopi of BJP are trailing in Chalakkudy and Thrissur constituencies respectively.