United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Sajeev Joseph will win the Irikkur assembly constituency in Kannur district, according to the Manorama News-VMR exit poll result released on Thursday.

According to the exit poll data, Sajeev Joseph would get 45.2 per cent of votes to emerge the winner. Left Democratic Front candidate Saji Kuttiyanimattom of Kerala Congress (Mani) will finish runner-up with 43.3 percent votes.

The exit poll predicted a third place finish for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Aniyamma Rajendran with 11 percent votes.

Irikkur is considered as a safe Congress seat, which was represented by senior Congress leader K C Joseph for 39 years.

But Congress was in huge trouble this time with many senior Congress leaders revolting against the party decision to field Sajeev Joseph, who is said to be a close confidant of the AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.

The 'A' faction leaders of the Congress had even threatened to field a rebel candidate. The ‘A’ group had proposed Sony Sebastian as the party candidate.

The dissidence had severely affected Sajeev's campaigning in the early stages.

The stalemate was resolved after senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy held several rounds of discussions with the dissident leaders.

Congress leader KC Joseph won the 2016 Assembly election with a margin of 9,647 votes.