CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front is heading for a massive win in the polls with the front securing 85 of the 129 seats declared even as BJP opened its maiden account in the 140-member state assembly.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the results were “unexpected” and a “setback” for Congress-led UDF.

Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister O Rajagopal won from Nemom constituency in Thiruvananthapuram by a margin of 8,671 votes, defeating sitting CPI(M)-LDF MLA V Sivankutty.

By this victory, Rajagopal has scripted history as all of BJP’s earlier attempts earlier to open its account in the state had failed.

BJP leaders led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched a “do-or-die” campaign in the state.

However, BJP state president, Kummanam Rajasekharan, former president V Muraleedharan, cricketer Sreesanth and senior leader K Surendran were all defeated.

UDF has secured only 43 seats and Chandy has already conceded defeat, saying the results were unexpected.

LDF’s chief ministerial aspirants Pinarayi Vijayan and 93-year-old V S Achuthanandan sailed comfortably to the finish line from Dharmadam and Malampuzha respectively.

Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash, Food Minister, Anoop Jacob, Social Welfare Minister M K Munner, Former Finance minister, K M Mani, were among the winners in the UDF camp.

The main losers in the UDF camp were Excise Minister K Babu, Labour Minister Shibu Babu John, Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan, Minister for Youth Affairs and Welfare of Scheduled Tribes P K Jayalakshmi and Congress heavyweight K Sudhakaran.

Speaker N Shakthan and Deputy Speaker Palode Ravi were also defeated.

In the LDF, Sebastian Paul and Nikesh Kumar were among those who tasted defeat.

Major reverses

The UDF suffered major reverses except in two districts while the LDF made a clean sweep of Kollam and Thrissur districts while blazing a trail in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur.

Among the big winners are VS Achuthanandan (CPI(M)), Leader of Opposition in the outgoing assembly from Malampuzha, and compatriot and chief ministerial candidate Pinarayi Vijayan from Dharmadom.

As for BJP, not just is it close to winning its first ever seat in the assembly, but it has also managed to run up into the second position in at least seven constituencies.

For instance, K Surendran gave the stiffest of fights in Majeswaram before losing the seat for the slenderest margin of 89 votes.

Tilting scales

In partnership with the BDJS that represents backward Ezhava community, the BJP has been able to significantly alter the scales in a number of constituencies in Alappuzha and Idukki districts.

In the BJP stronghold of Thiruvananthapuram district, BJP candidates fared spectacularly well in Thiruvananthapuram Central (cricketer S Sreesanth); Vattiyoorkavu (Kummanam Rajasekharan, party president); and Kazhakkoottam (V Muraleedharan, former party president).

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who won comfortably from Puthuppally, formally conceded defeat of the ruling coalition that the Congress led.

A number of his ministerial colleagues, including scam accused K Babu, tasted defeat though Kerala Congress (M) leader KM Mani won for the 13th time from Palai though with a reduced margin.

The most notable political victory was reserved for stormy petrel PC George, Independent, who, while being detested by both fronts, chose to go all on his own and won the Poonjar seat in Kottayam.

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