Rajya Sabha by-election; Jose K. Manik wins

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress M chairman Jose K Mani has won the Rajya Sabha by-election. Jose, the LDF candidate, received 96 votes. One vote invalid. The UDF candidate got 40 votes.

The by-poll was held today for the Rajya Sabha seat where Jose K. Mani resigned due to a change of front. Jose K. Mani contested for the LDF and Congress leader Sooranad Rajasekharan contested for the UDF.

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Voting took place in a specially set up polling booth in the Assembly complex. The victory of the LDF was confirmed by the strength of the legislature. The LDF has 99 members in the assembly. The UDF has 41 members.

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CPM leader and former minister TP Ramakrishnan and P Mummykutty did not contest the polls as Covid was being treated for injuries. UDF member PT Thomas is also undergoing treatment.

Jose K Mani won the Rajya Sabha seat in 2018 while he was in the UDF. He resigned from the UDF on January 11, 2021. The term of this seat is till July 1, 2024. The LDF seat was given to the Kerala Congress MLA following the practice of giving the seat to the party itself when leaving the front.