The Hindu (Thiruvananthapuram)
Drastic fall in polling leaves parties guessing
LDF blames delay in voting process for lower turnout in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta, NDA says voter turnout notably lower in areas where CPI(M) holds sway, UDF condent that lower polling will not dampen its prospects Wayanad records 72.85% polling
While the buzz surrounding a head-to-head clash between rival Kerala Congress factions in Kottayam and the intense three-cornered battle in Pathanamthitta seemed more pronounced than in the previous election, the statistics of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on Friday paint a di erent picture.
Initial estimates suggest that the overall voter turnout in Kottayam was 65.59%, signicantly down from the 75.47% recorded in 2019. Similarly, the Pathanamthitta constituency saw a turnout of 63.35%, marking one of the lowest voter participation in the election. Given the scorching heatwave in central Travancore in the recent weeks, a decline in turnout was somewhat expected by political observers. However, the magnitude of the drop has caught political parties o guard, leaving them uncertain about its impact on the nal results.
“A thorough analysis is needed to assess this decline in polling percentage. Delay in the voting process, leading to long queues at polling booths, could be one reason,” remarked Jose K. Mani, chairman of the Kerala Congress (M), expressing condence in a favourable outcome for the Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Allegation of a deal
Contrarily, the National Democratic Alliance argues that the voter turnout was notably lower in areas where the CPI(M) traditionally holds sway. “While the BJP ensured its party votes were cast, it seems the LDF did not prioritise securing its traditional support base. This raises suspicions of a deal between the LDF and the United Democratic Front (UDF),” asserted V.A. Sooraj, president of the BJP district unit in Pathanamthitta.
The UDF too acknowledged that the polling percentage fell short of its expectations. “The prevailing climatic conditions were a factor. However, we ensured it wouldn’t impact the UDF’s electoral prospects,” said Anto Antony, the UDF candidate in Pathanamthitta.
Unpredictable
Despite conventional wisdom suggesting that a signicant rise or fall in vote share indicates a landslide victory for one side, analysts believe support for the UDF and LDF remained largely consistent this time. However, the NDA’s ability to rally its core vote bank introduces an element of unpredictability.
The parties are anticipated to conduct detailed booth-wise analyses of their candidates’ electoral prospects to make more informed predictions.
Polling for the Lok Sabha election passed o peacefully in the district on Thursday.
According to preliminary reports, 72.85% of voters cast their vote in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2019 election, the polling percentage was 79.77.
As many as 10,71,489 voters of the total 14,62,423 cast their votes.
The Kalpetta Assembly constituency recorded 72.92% polling, Sulthan Bathery 72.52%, Mananthavady 73.06%, Thiruvambadi 73.33%, Ernad 77.32%, Nilambur 70.99%, and Wandoor 73.41%.
At tea estates
Good polling was reported at Kambamala, near Thalappuzha, where suspected Maoists had exhorted tea estate workers to boycott the election a few days ago, District Collector Renu Raj said.
Long queues, especially of women from plantations, were seen from early morning. Tribespeople also arrived in large numbers to exercise their franchise.