Kochi: The CPM will challenge the poll result of Tripunithura Assembly constituency in court.

The party decided to question the veracity of a widely circulated video, purportedly of the LDF candidate, explaining the mythology behind Sabarimala.

The CPM will also question the election officials’ decision against counting 1,071 ballot votes. The votes were rejected citing the absence of seal.

Tripunithura had witnessed a photo finish in which former minister K Babu of the Congress pipped sitting MLA M Swaraj by a margin of 1,030 votes.

Swaraj’s counting agents had on May 2 demanded the counting of ballot votes. Their demand, however, was rejected. The CPM argued that the polling officials were responsible for sealing the ballots, and their failure could not affect the prospects of the candidate.

Babu refutes Pinarayi’s charge

MLA designate K Babu refuted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s allegation that the Congress had won Tripunithura by purchasing votes.

Babu termed the allegation baseless and added that it amounted to insulting the voters. The Congress leader pointed out that the BJP had won 29,843 votes in 2016, and the then political circumstances and the candidate acceptable to voters benefited that party.

Incidentally, the BJP candidate in Tripunithura, Dr K S Radhakrishnan, said the party’s votes had gone to the UDF.