UDF retains stronghold in Palakkad; Ramesh Pisharody defeats Shobha Surendran

PALAKKAD: UDF candidate Ramesh Pisharody has got a dashing victory in the Palakkad assembly constituency, which was watched with great interest by the entire state of Kerala. In a constituency where BJP had pinned high hopes, Pisharody is entering the assembly trailing his strong rival Shobha Surendran by about 12,000 votes.

In the initial phase of the counting of votes, especially in postal votes, Shobha Surendran was leading. However, as the counting progressed, the picture changed. Pisharody increased his lead with each round. With this, BJP's hopes of capturing this constituency, which has been held by UDF since 2011, have been dashed.

The controversies that arose in the last moments of the election were a major setback for the BJP. The video that emerged alleging that a candidate was giving money in Kannadi changed the course of the campaign. Shobha Surendran's direct confrontation with the Congress workers who recorded the footage led to major political discussions. These allegations put the BJP and Shobha Surendran on the defensive.

After facing a heavy defeat, Shobha Surendran's political future is now in a complicated situation. It remains to be seen what post Shobha, who has faced only defeat in all the elections she has contested recently, will have in the leadership. The fact that she was able to fend off the coups through silent campaigning and popular support has become a great strength for the Congress and Pisharody.