Kollam: RSP leader and sitting MP N K Premchandran is set to retain the Kollam Lok Sabha seat, as per findings of the ManoramaNews-VMR exit polls. Premachandran is poised to register a hat-trick of wins in the Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 11 per cent votes, the survey figured out, despite talk of a multi-cornered contest between Premchandran, CPM’s M Mukesh and BJP’s Krishnakumar, both cine actors.
Among those who participated in the exit polls, 45.33 per cent of the voters backed Premchandran, 34.42 per cent voted for Mukesh and Krishnakumar got 18.03 per cent of votes.
The difference in vote share between the UDF and the LDF is 10.91 per cent. But this is a 5.46 per cent dip in vote share compared to the previous LS poll for the UDF. A significant chunk of these votes could have gone to the BJP, which increased its vote share by 7.37 per cent. The LDF, too, recorded a 1.78 per cent dip in its vote share.
In 2019, Premachandran defeated Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal of the CPM by a margin of 1,48,856 votes. Premachandran garnered 4,99, 677 votes, Balagopal 3,50,821 and the BJP’s K V Sabu garnered 1,03, 339 votes.
If he wins this would be the fifth time that Premachandran will be stepping into the Lok Sabha as an MP– He had earlier been a lawmaker in the 11th, 12th, 16th and 17th Lok Sabha.
