The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which created history by winning the first seat in the Kerala Assembly from the capital, came second in two constituencies and third in 11 Assembly segments in the district.
The BJP, which had high hopes in Vattiyurkavu and Kazhakuttam Assembly segments in the city limits, had to settle for the second spot. In Vattiyurkavu, State BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan, who gave a tough fight to sitting legislator K. Muraleedharan, could muster 43,700 votes against his immediate rival’s 51,322.
The LDF, which fielded the CPI(M)’s former Rajya Sabha MP T.N. Seema, was pushed to the third position with 40,441 votes.
In the Kazhakuttam Assembly segment, the BJP’s former State president V. Muraleedharan came second by bagging 42,732 votes.
The sitting Congress legislator and UDF candidate M.A. Vahid was pushed to the third position in the constituency. Mr. Vahid could only get 38,602 votes this time.
Third slot
The BJP-NDA candidates came third in the other 11 Assembly segments in the district. Former district president of the party, Karamana Jayan came third in Parassala with 33,028 votes behind the LDF’s C.K. Harindran (70,156) and UDF’s A.T. George (51,590).
Film director Rajasenan, who was fielded by the BJP in Aruvikkara, got 20,294 votes, coming third after sitting legislator K.S. Sabarinadhan (70,910) and LDF’s A.A. Rasheed. Punchakkari Surendran (Neyyattinkara) and P.P. Vava (Chirayinkeezhu) fielded by the BJP came third. The lone women candidate, Raji Prasad fielded in Attingal segment, also came third with 27,602 behind the LDF’s B. Sathyan (72,808) and UDF’s K. Chandrababu (32,425).
BJP former spokesman V.V. Rajesh came third in Nedumangad. BDJS candidates Aji S.R.M. (Varkala), Kovalam T.N. Suresh (Kovalam), and R.V. Nikhil (Vamanapuram) too came third.
