BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar Leads Shashi Tharoor In Thiruvananthapuram

New Delhi:

Senior Congress chief Shashi Tharoor has fought again to guide the BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar within the race for Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, which he has received for 3 straight phrases. 

At 2.30 pm Mr Tharoor was forward by round 7,000 votes. He had earlier trailed by twice that.

In 2009 Mr Tharoor defeated the CPI’s P Ramachandran Nair by practically one lakh votes, and polled over 14 per cent extra. In 2014 he edged the BJP’s O Rajagopal by fewer than 16,000 votes. 5 years later the margin was a lot more healthy; Mr Tharoor thumped the BJP’s Ok Rajasekharan by one lakh votes.

Exit polls had prompt Mr Chandrasekhar will defeat his rival.

In April Mr Tharoor had questioned the marketing campaign technique of the ruling Left entrance, which is an on-paper ally of the Congress-led INDIA bloc however is contesting as a rival within the state. Mr Tharoor admitted long-standing variations in political ideologies may imply events allied in a single state could also be rivals in one other.

However, talking to NDTV after casting his vote, he underlined the purpose that the Left and the Congress had been preventing for a similar aspect. “After we are preventing an election to vary the federal government in Delhi… it is a nationwide election. The target is to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering,” he stated.

READ | “Is This Pleasant Match?” Shashi Tharoor’s Jab At Left Over Ballot Tactic

He was referring to the CPI, which is a part of the INDIA bloc, however has fielded a candidate of its personal for the seat. It has additionally fielded a candidate – senior chief Annie Raja – towards Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad.

Mr Gandhi is main Ms Raja by over 3.3 lakh votes.

Mr Tharoor, nonetheless, performed down any doable rift between the allies.

“Every Indian state has its personal political character… it isn’t unusual that we’re allies in a single state and never in a neighbouring state. For instance, in Kerala the Left and Congress-led UDF (United Democratic Entrance) have been at loggerheads for over 55 years… that will not change in a single day.”

Rajeev Chandrasekhar Ballot Affidavit Row

The Congress chief additionally took a jab at his rival, the BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar, over controversy over his ballot affidavit, which stated his taxable revenue for FY2021/22 was solely Rs 680.

The Congress had filed a criticism with the Election Fee.

READ | “Irony Died When…”: Minister’s Jibe At Shashi Tharoor In Affidavit Row

Mr Chandrasekhar had defined that his taxable revenue “sharply lowered due to partnership losses incurred through the Covid interval”. Dismissing the Congress’ “apparent try to distract voters from the principle problems with progress, growth, jobs, and investments…”, he additionally took a double jibe – one on the get together’s “first household (a reference to the Gandhis)” and one other at Mr Tharoor.

Kerala Lok Sabha Election

The battle for Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats is of specific curiosity on this election given the BJP has by no means received a Lok Sabha seat within the southern state, and is hoping to lastly open its account.

For now the get together is course to do this, with Suresh Gopi main VS Sunilkumar of the CPI by over 70,000 votes in Thrissur.

Exit polls gave the BJP-led Nationwide Democratic Alliance one seat, and predicted a giant win – 16 seats – for the Congress-led United Democratic Entrance. The ruling Left Democratic Entrance was given three..

Within the 2019 election, the UDF received 19 seats with a vote share of 47.48 per cent. The LDF, or the Left Entrance received a single seat, regardless of being the ruling get together within the state.

The BJP acquired solely 15.64 per cent of the whole vote share.

2024 Lok Sabha Election: What Exit Polls Stated

Two of 12 exit pollsters – India Immediately-Axis My India and India TV-CNX – imagine the BJP-led Nationwide Democratic Alliance may amass as a lot as 401 seats. A 3rd – News24-Immediately’s Chanakya – says it can land on the 400-seat mark, and three others – ABP Information-C Voter, Jan Ki Baat, and Information Nation – give Mr Modi’s election-winning juggernaut a most of 383, 392, and 378 seats.

READ | PM Modi Hat-Trick, Powered By South, Bengal, Odisha: Exit Polls

The BJP coalition is just not anticipated to go under 281 within the race to win 272 seats.

The INDIA bloc – seen by many as a ragtag bunch of opposition events – laughed off the predictions and vowed it can do what it got down to in June final yr – defeat Prime Minister Modi and the BJP.

Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have insisted the group will win 295 seats.

The obtainable exit ballot information disagrees, though 4 give the bloc 150+ seats.

READ | Verdict On BJP’s ‘400 Paar’ Immediately. Can Social gathering Repeat Congress Feat?

TV9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat, Occasions Now-ETG, and Republic TV-P Marq say the INDIA group will win 166, 152, and 154 seats, whereas Information Nation and ABP Information-C Voter predict hauls between 152 and 182.

India Information-D Dynamics and Information 24-Immediately’s Chanakya are far much less sanguine, predicting 125 and 107 seats solely, whereas the others imagine INDIA will rating between 109 and 166 seats.

The BJP is, it due to this fact appears, effectively on its strategy to scoring 370 seats (the inner goal), and is nearer than many anticipated to the ‘abki baar, 400 paar’ goal that features its NDA companions’ success.