The bypoll was necessitated after Shafi Parambil, a three-time Congress MLA from Palakkad, vacated the seat upon being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara.

The bypoll was necessitated after Shafi Parambil, a three-time Congress MLA from Palakkad, vacated the seat upon being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara.

The bypoll was necessitated after Shafi Parambil, a three-time Congress MLA from Palakkad, vacated the seat upon being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara.

A neck-and-neck contest is underway between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the vote counting progresses for the Palakkad assembly bypoll on Saturday. BJP candidate C Krishnakumar initially led with strong postal vote support, but Congress’ Rahul Mamkoottathil reclaimed the top spot during subsequent rounds. This is Mamkootathil’s maiden electoral contest, making it a prestigious battle for the Congress, which has tasked him with retaining its stronghold.  

Despite early momentum, Krishnakumar fell behind as Mamkootathil secured a lead of over 1,000 votes by 9.30 am. The trend changed unexpectedly as the BJP got back on track by 10:30 am with a lead of over 400 votes. However, a notable dip in voter turnout and BJP's vote share in key areas of the constituency has added to the unpredictability. Meanwhile, Dr P Sarin, the LDF-backed independent candidate and a former Congress member who joined the Left just a month ago, remains in third place since the start of the counting.  

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In addition, the UDF supporters had already started celebrating Rahul's "expected victory" outside the polling station, showcasing trolley bags. The blue trolley bag became a topic of discussion in Kerala's political circles after allegations surfaced that Mamkootathil had smuggled black money in it during the campaign.

The bypoll was necessitated after Shafi Parambil, a three-time Congress MLA from Palakkad, vacated the seat upon being elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara. Palakkad saw voter turnout drop to 70.51% compared to 75.37% in 2021.  

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Counting began at 8 am at Govt Victoria College with home voting, postal ballots, and electronically transmitted postal ballots (ETPB). This was followed by the counting of votes from electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 14 tables, covering 184 booths in 13 rounds. 

The UDF is optimistic about Rahul Mamkoottathil's decisive win, with expectations of a five-digit majority. On the other hand, BJP leaders, including state president K Surendran, remain hopeful of a victory driven by strong support from BJP-dominated areas like the Palakkad municipality. Meanwhile, the LDF views the bypoll as a strategic opportunity to strengthen its presence ahead of the next state assembly elections.