Palakkad Assembly Election Result 2024 LIVE: BJP Fails To Create History; Congress Wins

The BJP has failed to create history in Palakkad in the bypoll as its candidate C Krishnakumar lost to Congress' Rahul Mamkootathil by 18840 votes.

As per the ECI data, Krishnakumar has secured 39549 votes while Rahul has garnered 58389 votes. Interestingly, independent candidate Dr P Sarin is in third place with 37293 votes.

With more than 1.90 lakh voters in the constituency, the battle is fierce as each alliance aims to secure a crucial win. The bypoll was necessitated following Congress leader Shafi Parambil's resignation after his election to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara, leaving the seat vacant.

Wednesday's by-election saw a voter turnout of 70.01% by 6:49 pm, a slight dip from the 73.83% recorded during the state assembly elections of 2021. Despite the lower turnout, the election has generated significant interest due to the high-profile contest between Rahul Mamkootathil (UDF), C Krishnakumar (NDA), and P Sarin (LDF).

For the Congress-led UDF, retaining the seat is of paramount importance, especially with the candidacy of Rahul Mamkootathil, who is up against P Sarin, a former digital media convener of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). Sarin's exit from Congress and his subsequent alignment with the LDF has added an interesting twist to the by-election, making this contest even more significant for both parties.

Sarin's expulsion from Congress came after his outspoken criticism of the party's decision to select Mamkootathil as the candidate for the bypoll. This, coupled with the strong campaigns from both the NDA and LDF, has transformed Palakkad into a key political battleground.

C Krishnakumar, the BJP-led NDA candidate, is also seen as a serious contender, as the BJP aims to make significant inroads into Kerala's political scene. If the BJP manages to secure a victory in Palakkad, it would mark a major milestone in their efforts to establish a presence in the Kerala Assembly.