Continuing with its impressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress- led UDF retained all three assembly seats where bypolls were held, routing the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF.

The LDF suffered a blow in politically sensitive Kannur, where Congress candidate and former CPI-M MP A P Abdullakutty emerged victorious by a margin of 12,000 votes over CPI-M's M V Jayarajan.

Abdullakutty, who represented Kannur twice in parliament on a CPI-M ticket, was expelled from the party a few months back following serious differences with the CPI-M leadership, after which he joined the Congress.

Congress candidates Dominic Presentation trounced CPI-M's P N Sinulal in Ernakulam by over 8000 votes, while his colleague A A Shukur retained Alappuzha seat by defeating G Krishaparasad of CPI by 4000 votes.

The November 7 by-polls were necessitated by resignation of sitting Congress MLAs K Sudhakaran (Kannur), K V Thomas (Ernakulam) and K C Venugopal (Alappuzha) on getting elected to Lok Sabha.

The results showed that UDF had been able to consolidate its Lok Sabha performance of lifting 16 of the 20 seats in the state.The current round of elections were seen as a dress rehearsal for the 2011 assembly polls to be preceded by the civic elections next year.

Despite its best efforts and high voltage campaign, the LDF failed to reverse the rout it faced in Parliamentary polls.

Congress wins one, leads another in Assam

Congress candidate Bimananda Tanti defeated his AGP rival Sivacharan Sahu by 21029 votes in Dhekiajuli Assembly constituency of Assam.

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