Tharoor says he expects favourable results in Kerala bypolls

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday exuded confidence that the results of by-elections in Kerala will be favourable to the Congress.

Speaking to reporters here, the Congress leader said he visited several polling booths as a "common citizen" where he sensed a wave in favour of the Congress.

"I have been doing the rounds of the booths as a common citizen. I have talked to my party workers and I am very upbeat with what I was told. I am confident that we will see the result we are expecting," he said.

Tharoor said Congress candidates were facing touch challenge in two of the five Assembly constituencies. "We understand that it is tough a race at both places but we got some strong candidates," he said.

The Congress leader said rains will adversary affect the voting percentage.

Reacting on the Army's action against terror launch pads across the border in Pakistan, he said there was "a tendency to escalate the drama-run military action at the time of elections". "Let us see whether these things will stay ones the voting is over," he said.

Kerala voted for five Assembly seats on Monday, out of which four were held by the UDF and one by the LDF.