Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday rejected CPM leader M Swaraj's plea seeking invalidation of the election of Congress leader and former Kerala minister K Babu from the Tripunithura seat in the 2021 assembly polls.

The court's decision was welcomed by the Congress and Babu.

Babu told TV channels that he was happy with the verdict and had been confident that the truth would finally come out, as it "was a fabricated case" against him.

"We had never printed any religious symbols on our voting slips," he said.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan commented that Babu had won the 2021 assembly poll from Tripunithura "overcoming all the tricks" allegedly employed by the CPM.

Babu remarked that the Left Front and its candidate who lost were unable to come to terms with their defeat, and that is why the election petition was filed against him.

"I would request the Left Front and its candidate to at least now stop such unnecessary moves, and accept the court verdict," he said. 

Meanwhile, M Swaraj commented that the verdict gives the message among believers that even if the images of the Gods they worship are printed on slips and passed from house to house, it is not a problem. He also opined that it weakens democracy and drains its essence. 

With PTI inputs