Though unable to match the illustrious debut of his predecessor and six-time legislator K. Babu in the Thripunithura Assembly constituency nearly a quarter century ago, Deepak Joy nonetheless lived up to the faith reposed in him by the Congress, registering a comfortable victory in the temple town braving a three-cornered contest.

Mr. Joy, deputy mayor of the Kochi Corporation, defeated the CPI(M)’s K.N. Unnikrishnan by 18,468 votes. He secured 70,256 votes against his rival’s 51,788, while Twenty20’s P.V. Anjaly fared creditably, polling 29,471 votes.