Nilambur, June 23 (IANS) The Congress party candidate, Aryadan Shoukath, continued to lead as counting of votes was underway in the Nilambur Assembly seat in Kerala on Monday.

As per the latest Election Commission of India (ECI) data, Shoukath has polled 35,831 votes, leading by 5,448 votes from his nearest rival, M. Swaraj of the CPI(M).

Shoukath maintained the lead right from the start of counting.

The Congress camp has started to celebrate with the first shouts of sloganeering commencing at the party office, where the local leadership has been watching the process on television.

In all, there are 19 rounds of counting in the constituency, where around 75.25 per cent of the 2.31 lakh votes were cast on June 19.

The highlight of the by-election has been the votes that two-time former Left Independent legislator P.V. Anvar has obtained, who is trailing badly. He has secured 11,578 votes, though he had won the seat last time.

In the 2021 polls, Anvar retained his seat as a Left-supported Independent candidate with 2,800 votes, but in January, he quit as a legislator after a difference of opinion surfaced with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Even though he pledged his support to the Congress, at the last minute he fell out with the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and decided to contest as an Independent.

State Congress president Sunny Joseph, while expressing his happiness, said that the party is all set to regain Nilambur, and said that no one has closed the doors on Anvar.

Speaking to the media, Anvar said, “Contrary to all expectations, I have got more votes from the Left”.

“This is a clear vote against Pinarayi Vijayan, and that’s what I have been speaking about from day one. See, I have by now got 10,000 votes when all were saying I would get less than 5,000 votes only,” said Anvar.

The last hope of Swaraj’s revival has been dashed now.

Another aspect which has emerged is that the BJP candidate Mohan George has managed to get only 4,575 votes so far.

Since the beginning of counting, the difference in the percentage of votes between Shoukath and Swaraj was around nine per cent, and if things go on this pattern, Shoukath is certain to win.

“This is a clear sign of anti-incumbency against the Vijayan government, and that’s what we have all along pointed out,” said Joseph.

Meanwhile, Shoukath’s mother said her son is winning as expected. Nilambur has been the citadel of the Congress where Shoukath’s father, Aryadan Mohammed, won a record eight times, losing just three times starting from 1965 till he won last in 2011.

–IANS

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