Congress-led United Democratic Front candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday extended her lead by over three lakh votes in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll in Kerala, according to the Election Commission.
According to EC figures at 1.30 pm, Priyanka received 5,78,526 votes with LDF's Sathyan Mokeri at second with 1,95,551 and BJP's Navya Haridas third with 1,04,947 votes.
The counting of votes commenced at 8 am with postal ballots being taken up first.
The strong rooms, where the EVMs were kept, were opened more than an hour before counting began.
The bypoll for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat was held on November 13.
Of the 16 candidates who contested, the main contenders are Priyanka, who is making her electoral debut, CPI(M)-led LDF's Sathyan Mokeri, a political veteran, and BJP-headed NDA's Navya Haridas.
