Mallapuram, Oct 15 (Agencies): The Indian Union Muslim League’s KNA Khader was declared the winner of the Vengara by-election in Kerala on Sunday. The party retained the Assembly seat after defeating the Left Democratic Front’s candidate by 23,310 votes.

The IUML is the second-largest party in the Congress-led United Democratic Front.

The Social Democratic Party of India came in third and the Bharatiya Janata Party, fourth.

The by-poll, which was held on Wednesday, was necessitated after sitting MLA PK Kunhalikutty of the IUML vacated the seat to contest a by-election for the Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency, which had fallen vacant after the death of the sitting MP. Kunhalikutty had won the by-poll.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer, Khader got 65,227 votes, CPI-M candidate P.P. Basheer came second with 41,917 votes.

A total of 502 voters pressed the NOTA button.

IUML - the second biggest constituent of the Congress-led UDF, had fielded two-time former legislator Khader, who expressed confidence that he will have a cakewalk.

In the Lok Sabha polls, Kunhalikutty had secured a margin of over 40,000 votes, while at the 2016 assembly polls he got a margin of over 38,000 votes.

"I am going back with lots of happiness as the Left did their best to see the back of me, but I managed to win easily. I thank all the people of this constituency and the UDF leaders," said Khader.

Basheer said that he has been able to break the myth that the IUML was all prevailing and powerful.

"Just see the votes that we have managed to get and we could take the fightA into several strongholds of the IUML."

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the results showed that the Congress-led opposition was on its way out.

"The IUML might have a technical victory, but we have scored a political victory."