Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 (IANS) The two main chief ministerial contenders in Kerala - V.S. Achuthanandan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Oommen Chandy of the Congress - Friday won with big margins in the assembly polls.

 
 Achuthanandan won from the Malampuzha constituency in Palakkad district, defeating Congress candidate Lathika Subhash. He won by 23,187 votes, an increased margin compared to 20,017 votes in the 2006 polls.
 
 Likewise, in the Puthupally seat of Kottayam district, Chandy who has not lost a single election since 1970 when he contested for the first time, got his highest ever victory margin of 32,307 votes.
 
 Chandy defeated the CPI-M candidate Suja Susan George.
 
 The neck and neck race between the rival fronts continued with the Congress-led front leading in 74 seats and the ruling Left Front close behind with 66 seats.
 
 Vote counting is on for polls to the 140-member assembly held April 13.