In one of the most closely watched contests of the Assembly elections, Health Minister Veena George suffered a decisive defeat in Aranmula, losing to Congress debutant Abin Varkey Kodiyattu by a margin of 18,985 votes.
The outcome, which had been the subject of growing speculation even before the campaign gathered pace, marks a significant setback for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the region. Ms. George had remained under sustained public and political scrutiny ever since assuming charge of the Health department in the second Pinarayi Vijayan government.