2015 Aruvikkara By-Election - Congress's Sabarinath wins Aruvikkara seat, defeats LDF's Vijaykumar

 

Congress-led United Democratic Front, party candidate KS Sabarinath won Aruvikkara seat on Tuesday by defeating Left Democratic Front's Vijaykumar by over 6,000 votes.

The polling was necessitated in Aruvikkara constituency which fell vacant after former speaker G Kartikeyan's death. An estimated 74.4 per cent turnout was recorded for the bypoll where Kerala's ruling UDF and opposition CPI(M)-headed LDF are locked in a stiff contest.

In a three-cornered contest, UDF candidate KS Sabarinath, younger son of Karthikeyan, took on former Speaker and ex-minister M Vijaykumar (LDF) and former union minister, O Rajagopal fielded by BJP.

The bypoll is a litmus test for both the Fronts as panchayat polls are to be held later this year and Assembly elections are just a year away

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the poll outcome would be a referendum on the government's performance during the past four years while the opposition was confident that the electorate would deal a heavy blow to the ruling Front which was facing various allegations