PALAKKAD: Palakkad recorded a nearly 5 percentage points decline in voter turnout in Wednesday’s bypoll compared with the 2021 assembly election, despite the high-octane campaign and no-holds-barred efforts by the three major fronts to ensure that all their supporters’ votes are cast.
Although the poll percentage fell to 70.51% from 75.37% in 2021, CPM, Congress and BJP expressed confidence of winning the seat.
Polling that started on a brisk note in the morning, fell sharply by noon. Several booths in different parts of the constituency were noticeably empty. However, it picked up gradually, and peaked during the final hours of polling. Long queues were seen outside many booths even after 6pm, the scheduled close of polling. All those who were given token till 6pm were allowed to cast their votes.
Out of 194,706 registered voters, 137,302 cast their votes in the by-election. Notably, all four transgender voters put in their ballot papers.
The polling passed off peacefully, barring a few isolated incidents. CPM and BJP workers waylaid UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil at a booth in Vennakara accusing him of canvassing votes stading in a queue at the booth. As the situation started to deteriorate, police interfered and diffused tension. From the get go, the entire bypoll process was marked by suspense, accusations, counter-accusations and controversies.
People of Palakkad with LDF, says Sarin
Pulling a surprise, the CPM announced the candidature of P Sarin, a doctor-turned-civil servant who quit the profession to become a dedicated full-time Congress worker. Then on, the campaign took its own course, and none of the major fronts succeeded in their attempt to set the agenda for discussion ahead of the poll.
Sarin said, “The people of Palakkad are with the LDF. The voters are aware of the political situation and the challenges being faced by the state and the country,” he said. Rahul said he was sure of a comfortable victory. “Secularism is deeply rooted in the minds of the voters of Palakkad, and it’ll reflect in the results,” the UDF candidate said.
Brimming with confidence, BJP candidate C Krishnakumar said, “Controversies are irrelevant, and we will win with a decisive, five-digit majority.”