Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)

Kasargod, May 23: Kasargod Lok Sabha constituency, the stronghold of CPM has gone to Congress after three decades. Congress candidate Rajmohan Unnithan has defeated his strong rival CPM’s K P Sathischandran by over 40,000 votes.

Congress candidate Unnithan defeated Sathischandran by a margin of 41,648 votes. Though there were variations while counting in the beginning Unnithan achieved the upper hand in the end.

Rajmohan Unnithan received 4,70,345 votes, Sathischandran 4,28,697 votes and BJP’s Ravish Tantri Kuntar had to be content with 1,73,934 votes.

There was 80.57% polling in the elections held on April 23. Congress has seen the smile of success in Kasargod for the first time after 1984 with a win by Unnithan.

Congress has won in Kasargod Lok Sabha constituency after 30 years. Historically, Congress has won here only thrice in 15 elections.

I Ram Rai was the last Congress candidate who won in 1984 elections. He had won by a margin of 11,000 votes.

Since 1984, only CPM has won in the elections held up till now. Congress had lost by 6,900 votes in 2014 and 68,000 votes in 2009. Congress had considered the current elections as a matter of prestige and pitted Congress spokesperson Rajmohan Unnithan. CPM fielded former MLA K P Satishchandran.