India
oi-Vicky Nanjappa
Thiruvananthapuram, May 02: The ruling LDF maintained its lead in 88 of the 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala while the opposition Congress-headed UDF was ahead in 50 segments, as per trends available till 10.30 am.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was leading by 3,351 votes in his home turf against his nearest rival C Raghunathan of the Congress, according to Election Commission figures.
Ministers, K K Shailaja, A C Moideen, E Chandrasekharan, Kadakampally Surendran and M M Mani were leading in their respective constituencies, while their cabinet colleagues T P Ramakrishnan and J Mercykutty Amma are trailing.
K T Jaleel, theformer higher education ministerwho resigned recently following nepotism charges, was also trailing, as per the EC figures.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy…