LDF candidate Mani C Kappen wins Kerala’s Pala assembly bypoll

Mani C Kappen, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, who was backed by the LDF, defeated Tom Pulikkunel, a faction leader of the Kerala Congress (M) by 2,943 votes to win the byelection to Pala assembly seat in Kerala.

The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF won the byelection to Pala assembly constituency, wresting the seat from the opposition Congress-led UDF.

Mani C Kappen, the LDF candidate, won the Pala assembly bypoll. (Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

LDF candidate Mani C Kappen defeated Jose Tom Pulikkunel of the opposition Congress-led UDF in a closely contested fight.

Kappen, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, defeated Pulikkunel, a faction leader of the Kerala Congress (M) by 2,943 votes.

Pala was a bastion of the Congress-led UDF, held by veteran leader and former finance minister K M Mani for the last five decades.

The bypoll was necessitated due to the demise of Mani in April.

The win has come as a huge relief to the LDF after its rout in the Lok Sabha polls.

The bypoll was viewed as an acid test for UDF and the BJP headed NDA as a victory would have given boost to the three major combines prospects in the by-elections to five more assembly constituencies scheduled for October 21.