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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Wins Dharmadam Seat Amid UDF Surge

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan won the Dharmadam Assembly seat with 85,614 votes against Congress's Abdul Rasheed and BJP's K Ranjith. The Congress-led UDF crossed the majority mark in the 140-member Assembly, leading the ruling LDF. The verdict reflects anti-incumbency against the LDF's 10-year tenure, while BJP will have three MLAs for the first time in Kerala. The election saw a 78.27% voter turnout in a single phase on April 9.

Key Points: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Wins Dharmadam Seat

  • Pinarayi Vijayan wins Dharmadam with 85,614 votes
  • Congress-led UDF crosses majority mark in 140-member Assembly
  • LDF faces anti-incumbency after 10-year tenure
  • BJP gets first 3 MLAs in Kerala history
2 min read

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wins Dharmadam Assembly seat

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wins Dharmadam seat with 85,614 votes. UDF crosses majority mark, while BJP gets first 3 MLAs in state.

"A UDF victory this time would also signal a generational shift in Keralam politics - Content"

Dharmadam, May 4

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday won the Dharmadam Assembly constituency seat with a total of 85,614 votes.

Vijayan was positioned against Congress's Abdul Rasheed and BJP's K Ranjith in the Dharmadam constituency.

Meanwhile, the Congress-led UDF in Keralam has crossed the majority mark in the 140-member Assembly, with election trends showing it comfortably ahead of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The verdict is being seen as a decisive rejection of the LDF's 10-year tenure, marked by anti-incumbency.

During the 2021 elections, Vijayan ended up securing 95,522 (59.8%) votes, whereas United Democratic Front candidate C Raghunathan received 28.4% of the total votes polled.

The LDF had won the 2021 polls and broken the trend of the state having a change of government every five years. LDF had won 99 out of 140 seats in the 2021 polls, with CPI-M winning 62. Pinarayi Vijayan became Chief Minister for another term.

A UDF victory this time would also signal a generational shift in Keralam politics, as the party moves forward without stalwarts like K Karunakaran and Oommen Chandy. Leadership within the alliance is now centred around figures such as V D Satheesan, who has been a prominent voice against the LDF government.

Although anti-incumbency against the 10-year-old LDF government was widely expected, the scale of the UDF's lead has still drawn attention.

Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), for the first time in the history of Keralam politics, will now have three MLAs representing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Keralam Assembly.

Keralam went to the polls in a single phase on April 9, with a strong voter turnout of 78.27 per cent.

Counting began at 8 am today across 823 constituencies in key regions, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The process began with postal ballots, followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines from 8:30 am, with round-wise results being updated in real time on the ECINET platform and the Election Commission's official portal.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
BJP finally getting 3 MLAs in Kerala! That's historic. The state is slowly moving away from just Congress vs CPM. People are tired of both these parties and their corruption. Time for genuine development politics in Kerala. 🔥
J
James A
Interesting to see Kerala's political dynamics. The anti-incumbency factor is strong after 10 years, but Pinarayi's personal popularity in Dharmadam is notable. The generational shift without Karunakaran and Chandy marks a new era. Let's see if UDF can actually deliver on development now.
R
Rahul R
The way UDF has crossed majority mark is a clear message – Keralam wants change. But let's be honest, people voted against LDF more than for UDF. Hope the new government focuses on real issues like unemployment and education, not just political vendetta. 🙏
S
Sarah B
As someone watching from abroad, it's fascinating how Kerala's politics keep evolving. The LDF breaking the 5-year cycle in 2021 was impressive, but the anti-incumbency wave now is intense. BJP's entry with 3 seats is significant – shows the national trend is reaching even strong Left strongholds.
K
Kavya N
One thing I appreciate about Kerala is that despite all the politics, the voter turnout remains high – 78% is great. But I'm disappointed LDF couldn't defend its record properly. The gold smuggling scandal really damaged their image. Hope the new government prioritises transparency and stops the usual power games.

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