Malappuram Lok Sabha seat 2017 bypoll result LIVE: IUML's PK Kunhalikutty set for big win

IUML’s PK Kunhalikutty wins Malappuram constituency by over 1.7 lakh votes

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) legislator PK Kunhalikutty won the Malappuram by-poll in Kerala on Monday by 171,038 votes. The IUML strongman remained far ahead of his nearest rival — Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate and youth leader MB Faisal throughout the counting process.  The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate N. Sreeprakash came a distant third.

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Shashi Tharoor says Malappuram win a message for communal forces

Communist candidate concedes defeat in Malappuram by-election, says @udfkerala victory sends a clear message from Kerala to communal forces

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 17, 2017

IUML’s lead nearing one lakh

IUML’s candidate PK Kunhalikutty’s lead continues growing, and at 91,627 votes, it is nearing the one lakh mark. Kunhalikutty, which contested the election on a secular ticket, has also attributed his success to this factor.

IUML supporters begin celebrating

#malappurambyelections. No space for LDF, BJP..IUML is most likely to retain its bastion. #pkkunhalikutty's lead croses 40000 pic.twitter.com/eiDMVZ5zdu

— Shafeeq Alingal (@Shafeeq_TNIE) April 17, 2017

Kunhalikutty stretches lead to over 65,000 votes

IUML candidate PK Kunhalikutty has extended his lead in the Malappuram Lok Sabha by-election to over 65.000 votes. Though several votes are still to be counted, celebrations have already begun within the party. Speaking to The News Minute, Kunhalikutty said the victory will help boost the profile of the IUML beyond Kerala and in other parts of the country too.

Kulhanikutty local strongman and elected legislator

Kunhalikutty has been a sitting legislator in the Kerala state Assembly from Malappuram, and has always been one of the most popular faces of the party om the Muslim-dominated district, which is a particular stronghold of the party and of the Congress-led UDF alliance.

Kunhalikutty races to big lead

As per media reports, IUML’s PK Kunhalikutty has raced to a lead of nearly 60,000 votes within an hour since counting began on Monday morning. Total number of votes counted as of 9.30 am stands at: 1,64,908 for Kunhalikutty; 1,08,746 for CPM’s MB Faizal; and 21,730 for BJP’s Sree Prakash.

Candidates in the fray

The three major parties which have a chance of clinching the Malappuram Lok Sabha seat are CPM, BJP, and IUML, which is part of the Congress-led UDF alliance. The three parties have put up the following candidates: MB Faizal, Sree Prakash, and PK Kunhalikutty respectively.

IUML leading in Malappuram bypoll

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has stormed to an early lead in the Malappuram by-election in Kerala. According to the news agency IANS, IUML candidate PK Kunhalikutty was leading by over 13,000 votes as counting began at 8 am.