THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the counting of votes is progressing in the state, a close fight is on between NDA candidate and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram. Rajeev Chandrasekhar is presently leading. The BJP leadership is confident of capturing Thiruvananthapuram after this.

A senior leader of Thiruvananthapuram district informed that an order has been placed for 3000 laddus. Even if it does not win the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, the BJP will continue to rule at the Centre, which boosts confidence. The BJP leader said the laddu will not go waste. The leadership has a firm belief that the BJP will open an account in Kerala this time.

Leaders V Muraleedharan and Rajeev Chandrasekhar are in Thiruvananthapuram itself. If the BJP opens account in Kerala, the celebrations will be at the new state office. Reports said that an order has been made chenda melam.

According to the figures till 1 pm, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who secured 2,44,632 votes, is leading by 16522 votes over Tharoor. Tharoor secured 228110 votes. LDF candidate Pannyan Ravindran is not even in the picture. He got only 168269 votes.

Most of the exit poll results predicted the win of Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Rajeev Chandrasekhar had responded yesterday that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to power with a huge majority. ‘All the exit polls predicted this victory. It is expected that the BJP will make unprecedented progress in South India as well,’ he said.