LDF pulls off major upset in Aruvikkara
The Hindu
G. Stephen pips sitting legislator K.S. Sabarinathan to seat by 5,046 votes
Aruvikkara, a Congress stronghold where it has never lost since 1991, witnessed a major upset with LDF candidate G. Stephen defeating sitting MLA K.S. Sabarinathan by a margin of 5,046 votes. For Mr. Sabarinathan, who was widely tipped to win following two consecutive electoral victories and his prominent presence in the UDF's protests, the defeat comes as a shocker. Mr. Stephen polled 66,776 votes, while Mr. Sabarinathan 61,730. NDA candidate C. Sivankutty was a distant third with just 15,379 votes to his kitty despite the massive campaign he had mounted. The LDF candidate gained an early lead and continued to maintain it till the end, upsetting all projections.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.