The strategy to field serving and former MPs in the Assembly polls partially paid off for the Left Democratic Front (LDF). For the United Democratic Front (UDF), the benefit was marginal and for the National Democratic Alliance, it was nil.
Top among the winners in the above category from the LDF are M.B. Rajesh, former Palakkad MP, who wrested the Thrithala Assembly seat from incumbent Congress MLA V.T. Balram. P. Rajeev, former Rajya Sabha MP, also proved his worth by defeating V.E. Abdul Gafoor of the Indian Union Muslim League in its sitting seat of Kalamassery. K.N. Balagopal, another former MP of the CPI(M), retained the Kottarakkara segment.
However, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader M.V. Shreyams Kumar, a serving MP, lost to UDF’s T. Siddique in Kalpetta. Jose K. Mani of the Kerala Congress (M), who had resigned from the Upper House to contest the Assembly polls, lost to incumbent MLA from Pala Mani C. Kappan.
A solace for the UDF was the expected victory of P.K. Kunhalikkutty, who also had quit as Lok Sabha MP from Malappuram to fight this election from the Vengara seat. K. Muraleedharan, MP, fielded in Nemom as a ‘giant killer’ to snatch the seat away from the NDA, was pushed to the third spot. N. Peethambara Kurup and K.S. Manoj, former MPs from Kollam and Alappuzha, lost from Chathannur and Alappuzha, respectively. Francis George, former Idukki MP, lost from the eponymous Assembly seat.
Actor Suresh Gopi and K.J. Alphons, serving MPs, who contested for the NDA from Thrissur and Kanjirappally, respectively, lost to LDF nominees P. Balachandran and N. Jayaraj.
