Malappuram, June 23 (UNI) Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Aryadan Shoukath was leading with a margin of 11,035 votes against CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate M Swaraj in Nilambur Assembly by-election at the end of the 15th round of counting held at Chungathara Marthoma HSS, on Monday.

The UDF secured 66,071 votes, LDF 55,036 votes, Independent and former Nilambur MLA PV Anvar- 16,965 votes and BJP-led NDA candidate Mohan George 6,957 votes each.

The UDF had scored a clean sweep in all the local bodies. UDF workers carried out a victory procession at Chungathara near Nilambur early in the day.

Aryadan shoukath is the son of late veteran Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed, who won for the eighth time from Nilambur constituency until 2011. In the 2016 assembly election, LDF-backed Independent PV Anvar defeated INC's Aryadan Shoukath by a margin of 11,504 votes from Nilambur constituency. That was Shoukath's maiden fight for the Assembly elections.

"This is the people's mandate against the LDF government's neglect of the Nilambur people," Shoukath told media.

The Nilambur by-election was necessitated following the resignation of LDF-backed Independent MLA PV Anvar in January 2024. He defected from LDF and joined All India Trinamool Congress and became the state convenor of the party.

LDF-backed Independent MLA Anvar represented Nilambur assembly constituency for 8.5 years (2016- 2024) .

UNI AK PRS