THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vayalar Ravi (Congress), P V Abdul Vahab (IUML) and K K Ragesh (CPM) were elected to the Rajya Sabha from the state, for which elections were held on Monday, putting an end to all political speculations.
There was no drain of votes in both the UDF and LDF, despite allegations of attempts by the Left camp to woo the RSP and JD(U). K Rajan (CPI), the second candidate of the LDF, who could muster only 29 votes, lost.
CPI Legislature Party leader C Divakaran said he and V S Achuthanandan had contacted JD(U) and RSP leaders and urged them to vote for LDF nominees in the RS polls, but the claim was denied by both the parties. Achuthanandan refused to comment.
Congress and CPM nominees garnered 37 votes each. The IUML candidate got 36 votes. The UDF has a total 73 votes and the LDF strength in the Assembly is 65. Kerala Congress (B) MLA K B Ganesh Kumar aligned with the Left once again like the Speaker polls, lifting their total strength to 66.
Veteran Congress leader Vayalar Ravi is entering the Upper House of the Parliament for the fourth time, and third in a row. For businessman- politician P V Abdul Vahab, who is the state secretary of the IUML, this is the second stint. K K Ragesh, former national secretary and president of SFI is entering the Upper House for the first time.