U R Pradeep's Early Lead in Chelakkara Bypoll

As the vote count for the Assembly bypolls in Kerala's Chelakkara segment began, LDF candidate U R Pradeep secured an initial lead of over 1,500 votes. While the reports came from news channels, official confirmation from the Election Commission was still pending.

In an early twist of events in Kerala's political landscape, U R Pradeep, the LDF candidate for the Chelakkara Assembly bypoll, took a significant lead of more than 1,500 votes, as reported by TV channels.

The initial counts consisted primarily of postal votes, giving Pradeep, a former CPI(M) MLA, an apparent advantage. However, the Election Commission is yet to confirm these results officially.

The bypoll was crucial following the vacancy left by former MLA K Radhakrishnan, who joined the Lok Sabha earlier this year. Pradeep's main competitors include ex-MP Ramya Haridas of the UDF and BJP's K Balakrishnan.

(With inputs from agencies.)