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The Indian Union Muslim League on Monday retained the Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency, with its candidate PK Kunhalikutty winning by over 1.7 lakh votes in the bypoll, defeating the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF nominee.
Kunhalikutty, who defeated his nearest rival MB Faisal of the CPI(M), won from all the seven Assembly constituencies of Kondotty, Manjeri, Perinthalamann, Mankada, Malappuram, Vengara and Vallikkunnu.
BJP candidate N Sreeprakash came third.
The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of former Union Minister and senior IUML leader E Ahamed. The IUML is a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF Opposition in the State.
A former State minister, Kunhalikutty is a member of the Kerala Assembly from Vengara constituency.
This is his maiden foray to Parliament.
The Election Office said that a final declaration would be made after getting the necessary clearance from the Chief Election Commissioner.
The Muslim-dominated Malappuram is considered an IUML bastion.
A total of 71.33 per cent voters had exercised their franchise in the bypoll against the 71.11 per cent recorded in the previous election here.
Of the total 13,12,693 electorate, 9,36,315 people including 4,93,433 women exercised their franchise.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Ahamed had won the seat by a margin of 1.94 lakh votes against the CPI(M)’s PK Sainaba.
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