K. K. Shailaja, the former school teacher who has served as Kerala's Minister of Health and Social Welfare during the pandemic, won her constituency the past weekend by the largest margin in the history of the Indian state's elections. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) minister -- who has won international acclaim for her handling of the health crisis and was even honoured by the United Nations -- won by 60,963 votes over her closest competitor. The previous highest margin of victory in a Kerala election had been 45,587.
The resounding victory shows her immense popularity in both the state and the Mattannur constituency in which she triumphed.
Her victory comes as the the Left Democratic Front -- of which the CPI(M) is a leading part -- won an historic reelection in Kerala becoming the first state government to be reelected in 40 years.
Campaigning in Kerala in April -- photo via Facebook