LDF's Pradeep takes commanding lead in Chelakkara Assembly bypoll

Thrissur: Ruling LDF candidate U R Pradeep extended his lead by over 11,000 votes as counting of votes was completed in 10 rounds in the Chelakkara Assembly bypoll in Kerala on Saturday, according to the Election Commission.

The Left candidate has been retaining his lead since the very beginning of the counting of votes against his nearest rivals.

As per the figures released by the Election Commission at 11.50 am, Pradeep was leading by a margin of 11,936 votes against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Ramya Haridas after the counting of votes was completed in 10 rounds.

While Pradeep got 51,358 votes in the 10th round, Haridas secured 39,422 votes and BJP's K Balakrishnan received 26,394 votes, according to EC figures.

Though there were six candidates in the fray in Chelakkara, the main contest was between Pradeep and Haridas.

N K Sudheer, the nominee of the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK), a political outfit recently floated by Nilambur MLA P V Anvar who had quit the LDF, could garner 3,000 votes only.

As their candidate retained his lead, the Left camp in Chelakkara began their victory celebration by distributing sweets and beating drums.

Pradeep, who has almost ensured his victory, told reporters here that Chelakkara has always supported the LDF and people of the segment didn't fall for false promises of political rivals.

A bypoll was necessitated in Chelakkara segment, a Left bastion for years, as the then MLA and former Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan was elected to Lok Sabha this year.

The counting of votes in the segment commenced at 8 am with postal ballots being taken up first.

The strong rooms, where the EVMs were kept, were opened more than an hour before counting began.

The bypoll for the Chelakkara assembly seat was held on November 13.