V Muraleedharan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Kazhakoottam Assembly by-election in Kerala, defeating sitting minister and CPI(M) candidate Kadakampally Surendran by 428 votes after a protracted counting process. The result, declared following the final round of vote counting, ends a decade-long electoral struggle for Muraleedharan, who had lost to Surendran by 7,347 votes in 2016.

Muraleedharan's victory came after trailing in early rounds, with Surendran leading by 171 votes as late as the 16th round. The shift occurred in BJP-leaning polling stations in the final count. The UDF candidate, T Saratchandran Prasad, finished third, continuing a trend in the constituency despite a broader UDF surge across the state.

Muraleedharan, 68, attributed his win to sustained grassroots engagement over the past decade, including padayatras and localized outreach in Left-influenced areas like Attipra, Kulathoor, and Mankuzhy. His work as Union Minister of State for External Affairs (20192024), particularly in repatriating deceased Keralites from abroad, and campaigning on issues like the Sabarimala gold loss, are seen as contributing factors. Mobilization among minority voters and the Ezhava community also played a role.

A former Rajya Sabha member and long-time BJP organizer in Kerala, Muraleedharan previously faced multiple electoral defeats before this breakthrough. His victory is viewed as a symbolic gain for the BJP in a state where the party has struggled to establish a legislative presence.

The Kerala Election Commission will formally notify the result within 48 hours, and Muraleedharan is expected to take oath as MLA early next week.