Counting underway for Kerala by-polls, CPI-M candidate takes early lead

 Counting of votes for the by-polls to the Chengannur Assembly seat in Kerala was underway on Thursday with CPI-M candidate Saji Cherian taking an early lead with over 1,500 ballots.

Election experts predicted that the signs were positive for Cherian as compared to the 2016 Assembly polls when the Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate had a lead of only 400 votes.

"The signs are good and victory is becoming clear because I have led in all the 14 booths which include strongholds of the Congress-led UDF," said Cherian.

Congress candidate D. Vijayakumar is the second position followed by the BJP's P.S.Sreedharan Pillai.

The by-polls for the Chengannur Assembly seat was necessitated following the death of CPI-M legislator K.K. Ramachandran Nair in January.

Voting for the seat took place on Monday.

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