Kerala Election Results 2019: Shashi Tharoor leads in Thiruvananthapuram; says "not getting excited, but holding onto lead"

At 10:45 am, Tharoor said that with 18% of votes counted, his lead crossed 15,000 margin

Image: PTI

New Delhi: As early trends pour in, Congress veteran Shashi Tharoor is leading in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat. Reacting to the vote counting in the constituency, Tharoor said he is not getting “excited”, but is “holding on to his lead”. At  10:45 am, Tharoor said that with 18% of votes counted, his lead crossed 15,000 margin. As per trends at 10:40 am, Tharoor was reported to have taken a good lead in the contest against BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan. An hour after the counting process begun, he tweeted “Not getting excited about just 4% of the votes counted, but it's welcome news that I took the lead from the start & am holding on to it!”

An hour later he said that he has maintained his lead throughout. He said “ In a three-cornered contest (unlike most of Kerala) any victory is bound to be narrower than where it's a 2-cornered fight. UDF candidates leading in all 20 Kerala constituencies.” He tweeted: “With 12% counted i have maintained my lead throughout: current lead over BJP is 4956, with Left 3rd. In a three-cornered contest (unlike most of Kerala) any victory is bound to be narrower than where it's a 2-cornered fight. UDF candidates leading in all 20 Kerala constituencies!”

Thiruvananthapuram vote-counting: Not getting excited about just 4% of the votes counted, but it's welcome news that I took the lead from the start & am holding on to it! #Election2019

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 23, 2019

With 12% counted i have maintained my lead throughout: current lead over BJP is 4956, with Left 3rd. In a three-cornered contest (unlike most of Kerala) any victory is bound to be narrower than where it's a 2-cornered fight. UDF candidates leading in all 20 Kerala constituencies!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 23, 2019

Tharoor  is contesting from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala against BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan, who is also a former Governor of Mizoram. Earlier today Tharoor had tweeted his picture offering prayers ahead of the  counting process.  He wrote: “D-Day at last! Will it be D for Deliverance for the nation from 5 years of misgovernance, ineptitude & bigotry, or D for Disappointment & Despair for all who who believe in #InclusiveIndia, responsible governance, liberal social values & economic justice?”

D-Day at last! Will it be D for Deliverance for the nation from 5 years of misgovernance, ineptitude & bigotry, or D for Disappointment & Despair for all who who believe in #InclusiveIndia, responsible governance, liberal social values & economic justice? pic.twitter.com/DJ7zqCgbEp

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 23, 2019