Lok Sabha 2019 constituency: Smallest constituency Lakshadweep was once a Congress stronghold
Mohammed Faizal of NCP is the current MP from Lakshadweep Lok Sabha constituency, which had been a Congress bastion. He had defeated veteran Congress leader PM Sayeed’s son Hamdulla Sayeed in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
The Union territory of Lakshadweep is represented by a single parliamentary constituency, which is reserved for members of Scheduled Tribes.
Mohammed Faizal PP of the Nationalist Congress Party is the current member of Parliament from this constituency, which had been a Congress bastion. He had defeated veteran Congress leader PM Sayeed’s son Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Hamdulla had won the seat in 2009.
Its first MP was Congress’ K Nalla Koya Thangal, who was directly appointed by the President. Thangal served two terms from 1957 till 1967, when the first election was held.
Read all you need to know about Lakshadweep
PM Sayeed has represented Lakshadweep for ten consecutive terms from 1967 to 2004. He won the first election in 1967 as an Independent.
In 1971, Sayeed was elected unopposed as a Congress candidate. He won the next eight elections consecutively before being defeated by 71 votes in 2004 by P Pookunhi Koya of the Janata Dal(United).
It will vote on April 11 and results will be declared on May 23.
Here is what you need to know about Lakshadweep, the smallest constituency by the number of voters as of 2014:
Union territory of Lakshadweep
Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Lakshadweep
2019 candidates: M. Handullah Sayeed (Congress), Abdul Khader (BJP), Mohd.P.P.Faizal (NCP)
Date of polling: April 11
Sitting MP, party: Mohammed Faizal PP, NCP
Winning margin in 2014: 1,535
Runner up name, party: Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed, Congress
Number of voters in 2014: 43,239
Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 86.61%
Number of women voters in 2014: 24,489
Number of polling booths in 2014: 44