In a major setback to senior Congress leader K Karunakaran, his nominee, Kodoth Govindan Nair, was humbled by All India Congress Committee-approved candidates, Vayalar Ravi and Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, in the Rajya Sabha election for three seats in Kerala on Monday.

Left Democratic Front candidate, K Chandran Pillai, won the third seat.

The fight for RS berths, which turned out to be a head-on confrontation between Karunakaran and the Congress high command, resulted in a grand victory for Chief Minister A K Antony, who had firmly stood by the central leadership all through the crisis.

AICC general secretary, Vayalar Ravi, secured 38 first preference votes and former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, polled 36.

Kodoth Govindan Nair bagged only 26 votes.

LDF candidate Chandran Pillai got 39 first preference votes.