The Congress in Kerala on Thursday wrested Aroor assembly constituency from the CPI-M after 18 years as its candidate Shanimol Usman won the seat, poll officials said.
Usman, who notched up her first election victory, won the seat with a margin of around 1,900 votes defeating Manu C. Pulickal of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
With Usman's victory, the Congress-led UDF got its first woman legislator in the current Kerala assembly.
Two EVMs are yet to be counted as officials are waiting to match the count with the VVPTs.
"I owe this victory to the dedicated UDF workers who made this happen," said Usman.
The CPI-M held its grip over Aroor constituency for the last 18 years. In 2016 assembly election, party leader A.M. Ariff won by over 38,000 votes.
Usman, a veteran Congress leader has been contesting elections for the last few years. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she was the only candidate who failed to win among the 20 UDF candidates.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
"Media Creation": DK Shivakumar On Demand For More Deputy Chief Ministers Out On Parole, 64-Year-Old Man Beats Brother To Death In Kerala: Police 2 School Students Drown In A Pond Near Their House In Kerala: Police "Our Team Brings T20 World Cup Home In Style": PM Congratulates Team India Exclusive: "It Is About..." - ISRO Chief's Message For Sunita Williams Tinder Date Gone Wrong: Man Scammed To Pay Rs 1.2 Lakh Bill At Delhi Cafe "What A Game": Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai On Team India's Historic Win "Nerves Of Steel": Gautam Adani Praises Team India For "Superb" T20 Win Noida Cops Bust Fake Call Centre Duping People In US, 73 Arrested Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.