UDF, LDF neck and neck in Ker, BJP ahead in one seat

Thiruvananthapuram, May 16: The ruling-Congress led

and CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala are locked in a neck and neck race leading in nine seats each as counting progressed into the third hour in 20 seats.

Congress seems to be in for a shock as counting trend indicated that its candidate Union Minister Shashi Tharoor trailed by over 10,000 votes against his BJP rival O Rajagopal in Thiruvananthapuram seat. LDF nominees are ahead in Kasargode, Vatakara, Palakkad, Alathur, Thrissur, Chalakkudi, Idukki, Mavelikkara and Attingal.

Trailing Congress candidates include Tharoor, Mullapally Ramachandran and party spokesperson P C Chacko. The UDF leads in Ernakulam, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ponnani, Kottayam, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta. Union Minister K V Thomas is in a comfortable position with a lead of over 15,000 votes in Ernakulam.

IUML leader E Ahamed has established an unassailable lead of over 36,000 votes in Malappuram and his colleague E T Muhammad Basheer a clear edge of over 13,000 votes in Ponnani.

PTI