Metro Man E Sreedharan loses in Palakkad, hat trick win for Shafi Parambil

PALAKKAD: Shafi Parambil regained lead at the last minute in a fierce contest in Palakkad. Shafi defeated Metro Man E Sreedharan, who was leading from the time the counting started, by more than 2000 votes. This is Shafi’s hat trick win in the constituency.

With Sreedharan's candidature, the BJP kept high hopes in the constituency till the last round the UDF captured the constituency. Sreedharan at one point maintained a lead of over 6,000, but fell behind in the last counting of two panchayats.

Shafi who wrested Palakkad from the LDF with more than a majority of 7000 in 2011, garnered a lead of more than 17,000 last time. Though the lead significantly lowered this time, Shafi was able to defeat Sreedharan, a generally accepted BJP candidate.

In the constituency where there was a tight contest between Sreedharan and Shafi, the LDF was pushed to the third position similar to 2016. Left candidate C P Pramod was not able to challenge both the fronts at any time. With Sreedharan raising his vote share, the Left's vote share also declined.

Palakkad was a constituency that attracted national attention with the entry of Sreedharan. The central BJP leadership, which had put Sreedharan in front and moved the reins in Kerala, did not expect anything less from Palakkad victory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who spearheaded the campaign. However, the constituency did not desert Shafi, who spearheaded the campaign highlighting the development achievements over the past 10 years.