THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the counting of votes enters into the ninth hour, UDF in Kerala has registered a clear-cut majority in 19 seats. The sole consolation for the LDF, the ruling front in the state, came from the Alappuzha constituency where A M Ariff is leading by 13,016 votes against UDF's Shanimol Usman after counting of 90.32 per cent of the votes.
In the capital city, contrary to the exit poll prediction, Congress nominee Shashi Tharoor has so far registered an overwhelming majority of 61,067 votes when 83.15 per cent votes get counted. Tharoor's rival and BJP candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan who got 2.71 lakhs votes so far has emerged as the only BJP candidate in the state to come in the second slot.
In Wayanad, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has registered a brutal lead of 3.63 lakh votes so far.
Of the 20 constituencies, it is only at Idukki that counting has been finished. Congress nominee Dean Kuriakose has won the seat by defeating his nearest rival and Independent candidate Joice George.
"This result is against the arrogance of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan", said senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan while reacting to the decimation of LDF in the elections at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Congress leader said he won the poll as "there is a clear consolidation of minorities against the Modi government at the Centre." Making Sabarimala an issue to garner votes also failed as the majority community voted did not choose the BJP over the Congress, he added.