Headlines
Tens of thousands vote in Kerala by-election
Tens of thousands vote in Kerala by-election
Thiruvananthapuram, June 27 Tens of thousands voted on Saturday in the by-election to the Kerala assembly in Aruvikara in a triangular contest involving the Congress, the CPI-M and the BJP.
Election officials said 51.30 percent of the 184,210 electorate had voted by 1.00 p.m.
The election followed the death of Kerala assembly Speaker G. Karthikeyan in March. He had represented the constituency for 24 long years.
There are a total of 16 candidates in the fray and 184,210 voters -- up from 164,884 in 2011 when Karthikeyan won by over 10,000 votes.
The ruling Congress has fielded Karthikeyan's 31-year-old son K.A. Sabarinathan, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist has nominated 67-year-old former speaker and minister M. Vijayakumar.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has put up its regular warhorse, O. Rajagopal, 85.
On Saturday, all three candidates expressed confidence of winning the election.
Sabarinathan called the Aruvikara electorate his "extended family". Vijayakumar said the electorate was waiting to give a lesson to the Oommen Chandy government.
Rajagopal said the people of Kerala were sick and tired of both the main political fronts headed by the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, and they "definitely vote for a change".
On Saturday, the photos of the candidates were affixed on the Electronic Voting Machines -- for the first time in India to eliminate confusion among voters.

9 hours ago
Gujarat Bridge Collapse: Lives Lost, Travel Hardship; 50 km Extra Distance to Cover

11 hours ago
St. Jude Cancer Survivor Comes Full Circle

12 hours ago
PM Modi's global honours tally climbs to 27 after receiving Namibia's highest civilian award

12 hours ago
Elon Musk says exposing Jeffrey Epstein files 'top priority' for America Party

13 hours ago
ITServe Synergy 2025 in Puerto Rico To Connect – Lead – Inspire IT Leaders From Across the Nation

13 hours ago
Mr. Universe title for Kottayam native: First Indian to achieve this historic feat.

14 hours ago
Trump to announce new trade tariffs for 'a minimum of seven countries

14 hours ago
Elon Musk says exposing Jeffrey Epstein files 'top priority' for America Party

14 hours ago
Bangladesh-US second round tariff talks begin amid looming 35% US tariffs

15 hours ago
Shubhanshu Shukla experiments sprouting green gram, fenugreek seeds in space

18 hours ago
Here’s how Kriti Sanon embraces her inner ‘90s kid’ through music

18 hours ago
Offending portions removed from 'Udaipur Files': CBFC to Delhi HC

18 hours ago
Khushi Mukherjee opens up about her bold new avatar on Munawar Faruqui’s show ‘The Society’