Thiruvananthapuram,June 17

The United Democratic Front (UDF) is poised to win the Nilambur assembly bypoll with a margin exceeding 10,000 votes, according to a recent assessment by central intelligence agencies.

The report, compiled after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s campaign rally in the constituency, suggests that if weather conditions remain favorable, the UDF’s winning margin could increase further.

A strong anti-incumbency sentiment is reportedly driving voter support towards the UDF, the intelligence report states.

One of the key issues fueling public dissatisfaction is the repeated failure of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to effectively address the growing problem of wild animal attacks in the region.

The report also estimates that independent candidate P.V. Anvar may garner around 5% of the total votes.

The Nilambur by-election, scheduled for June 19, was necessitated by the resignation of sitting MLA P.V. Anvar. Both UDF and LDF have launched intense campaigns in the run-up to the poll.

While Priyanka Gandhi campaigned for the UDF, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took charge of the LDF campaign, serving as its star campaigner.

The UDF’s strategy has centered on amplifying public dissatisfaction with the state government. During his campaign visit to Nilambur, CM Pinarayi Vijayan reportedly avoided responding to seven pointed questions raised by Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan regarding key governance issues.

This, according to political observers, further highlighted the growing anti-government sentiment among voters.

The central intelligence report concludes that the prevailing anti-incumbency wave is not only evident to the opposition but has also become clear to the Chief Minister himself.

A final assessment of the likely outcome will be drawn after taking into account the overall voter turnout on polling day.