Kerala to face six bypolls in the next six months as MLAs become MPs

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (Express photo)

The election of six current MLAs of the state Assembly as MPs to Lok Sabha and the death of two former legislators will pave the way for six bypolls in Kerala in the next six months. These bypolls are likely to be a referendum on the ruling LDF government and the success of the Congress-led UDF, which cruised to a victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

The constituencies where bypolls are likely to be scheduled are Aroor, Konni, Vattiyoorkavu and Ernakulam. MLAs who represented these seats in the state Assembly— AM Arif, Adoor Prakash, K Muraleedharan and Hibi Eden, respectively— have been elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha elections, results of which were announced on Thursday.

Additionally, due to the demise of KM Mani and PB Abdul Razak, bypolls will have to be conducted in Pala and Manjeshwaram seats respectively.

In results announced on Thursday, the Congress-led UDF registered a comprehensive victory in 19 out of the 20 seats making a near-sweep of the state. The ruling LDF, which won eight seats in 2014, was able to hold on to just Alappuzha. The BJP-led NDA was once again unsuccessful in making a mark in the state and winning a Lok Sabha constituency on its own.