Mon Jun 23 04:55:38 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**UDF Candidate Leads in Nilambur Bypoll, Independent Candidate Impacts Vote Share**
**Malappuram, Kerala – June 23, 2025** – United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters celebrated early Monday as their candidate, Aryadan Shoukath, established a significant lead in the Nilambur by-election. As counting progressed through the seventh round, covering key panchayats, Shoukath’s lead surpassed 5,000 votes.
With two-thirds of the votes tallied, Shoukath garnered 43% of the vote share, outpacing his closest competitor, M. Swaraj of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), who secured 35%. The by-election was triggered by P.V. Anvar’s resignation from his Assembly seat, who then ran as an independent. Anvar shocked both major parties by capturing 15% of the vote.
Anvar claimed his votes were drawn from the LDF, not the UDF, and suggested the results reflected “Pinarayism.” He emphasized the need for any party in Kerala to address the issues of hill farmers to succeed in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The counting process is expected to continue for 19 rounds, with each round representing 14 polling stations. The election, held on June 19, involved 263 polling stations, including 59 new additions.
First Piper 