Thiruvananthapuram, May 1 (IANS): When all are interested in knowing who will rule Kerala for the next five years and will be closely following the counting of votes that begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday, one result and the progress in counting will be observed by all with a heavy heart and that is at the Nilambur assembly constituency in Malappuram district.

The reason, why it's going to be like that is V.V. Prakash, hugely popular Malappuram district Congress Committee president and the party candidate from the Nilambur assembly constituency, passed away after he suffered a cardiac arrest in the wee hours of Thursday.

The 56-year-old Prakash, according to many of the exit polls conducted, reveal that he is likely to win and if that be the case, it could be even heart breaking for all.

"He left without waiting to know the result," continues to be the general response from all.

Incidentally if the sitting legislator P.V. Anwar of the Left is going to be re-elected, then there will be no re-election and should Prakash win, then it will be the first constituency where a by-election will be held, after the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly will be formed.

Two time former Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who returned to his home here, last night after attending the funeral of Prakash said, he is still to come to terms with the passing away of Prakash.

Incidentally in the 1996 assembly polls a similar incident took place when P.K. Sreenivasan of the CPI passed away a day before the counting.

When votes were counted, he won the polls and in the by-election his son P.S. Supal won the election.