Thiruvanathapuram election result 2019: While few can raise questions over Shashi Tharoor’s knowledge of the English language, the Congress leader’s political skills have been put to some stiff test in his quest for winning Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat for the third consecutive time. Voting in Thiruvananthapuram was held in the third phase seven-phased poll on April 23 and results will be announced today.

Lok Sabha Election 2019: Full Coverage

Shashi Tharoor had made a spectacular debut in Lok Sabha poll winning Thiruvanathapuram seat by over 99 thousand votes in 2009. However, the Congress leader’s support base dwindled in the next general elections as the difference of votes between Tharoor and his closest rival Bharatiya Janata Party’s O Rajagopal was just over 15 thousand votes.

A confident BJP fielded Kummanam Rajasekharan to take on Tharoor this time and C Divakaran is CPI-M’s candidate. Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party has also fielded its candidate – Kiran Kumar SK – from the important seat. Rajasekharan had resigned from the post of Mizoram Governor just a few months ahead of Lok Sabha election dates were announced. He has been an active activist of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Kerala since 1970.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ELECTION RESULT LATEST UPDATES: 

2.39 pm: Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor leads BJP’s Kummanam Rajashekaran and CPI’s C Divakaran. Tharoor has got 287,872 votes so far.

12.22 pm:  Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor leads by 14,443 votes from Thiruvananthapuram against BJP candidate Kummanam Rajashekaran. CPI candidate C Divakaran is trailing behind at third position with 112,296.

11.15 am: Sitting MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor is leading with 10,898 votes in a close-contest against BJP candidate Kummanam Rajashekaran.

10.29 am: Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor leading with 69,859 votes from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat in a three-cornered contest. He is ahead of his rival Kummanam Rajashekaran of the BJP by 12,456 votes.

8:28 am: First trends show Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor behind.

8:00 am: Counting of votes in Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat has started. First trends will be available shortly.

6:50 am: 

One of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram had 1,272,748 registered electors – 614,438 male and 658,310 female as per 2014 data. Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency has sevel Assembly seats -Kazhakoottam, Vattiyoorkavu (SC), Thiruvananthapuram, Nemom, Parassala, Kovalam, Neyyattinkara.

The Sabarimala verdict factor

Shashi Tharoor faces an uphill task in protecting his seat for the third time and one of the major factors in 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the Supreme Court’s Sabarimala verdict. Tharoor’s chances of stepping Parliament building as a three-time Lok Sabha member also hinges on it. Tharoor initially backed the Supreme Court’s decision to allow women of all ages to enter the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala’s Sabarimala. However, he changed his stance later and said that sentiments of devotees must be taken into consideration. However, despite Shashi Tharoor’s apparent attempt to appease his votebase in the Hindu community, political pundits point out that some of his traditional voters may opt to BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan in Lok Sabha Election 2019.