Parties anxiously wait for bypoll results in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 21 (PTI) With just a day remaining for the results of the three by-elections in the state-- Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency and Chelakkara and Palakkad assembly seats--the major political parties, Congress, BJP, and CPI(M), are anxiously awaiting the outcome.
    The Congress-led UDF is hopeful of a resounding victory for AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad, where she is making her electoral debut in the hill constituency previously held by her brother Rahul Gandhi, as well as retaining the Palakkad assembly seat.
    The UDF also aims to capture the Chelakkara assembly constituency, asserting that they can capitalise on what they claim to be growing anti-incumbency against the CPI(M)-led LDF government in the state.
    Meanwhile, the LDF is focused on retaining Chelakkara, a traditional Left stronghold, with a significant margin. They are also aiming to improve their performance in the Palakkad and Wayanad seats.
    The BJP, on the other hand, is eyeing securing a presence in the Kerala Assembly by capturing the Palakkad constituency, where it finished second in the last two Assembly elections.
    The saffron party is also seeking to gain political traction by improving its performance in Wayanad.
    The counting of the votes will take place on November 23.
    The by-election in Wayanad was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat to represent Raebareli in the Lok Sabha. Priyanka is contesting against the LDF's Sathyan Mokeri, the BJP's Navya Haridas, and 13 other candidates.
    The voter turnout in the Wayanad by-election was recorded at 64.72 per cent, a significant eight-percentage-point drop from the 72.92 per cent turnout in the 2021 general election. When Rahul Gandhi first contested the seat in 2019, the turnout was 80.33 per cent.
    Rahul's victory margin in the recent Parliament election was over 3.5 lakh votes, compared to over 4.3 lakh votes in 2019.
    The lower-than-expected turnout has left the UDF concerned about a possible decline in Priyanka's majority in this Congress stronghold.
    UDF leaders believe that LDF and BJP voters stayed away from the polls as the outcome was seen as predictable.
    However, both the LDF and BJP have alleged that the low turnout was due to the by-election being imposed on the people of Wayanad by the Congress.
    Congress leader and Sulthan Bathery MLA I C Balakrishnan, who was in charge of Priyanka's campaign in the hill constituency, dismissed the predictions made by LDF and BJP.
    "It is correct that there is a dip in voter turnout, but it will not affect the UDF's majority," he told PTI, claiming that BJP and LDF activists stayed away.
    He also claimed that Priyanka Gandhi would garner 10 per cent more votes due to her presence alone.
    LDF Wayanad district convener and former MLA C K Saseendran said, "This by-election was imposed on the people of Wayanad which was reflected in the low voter turnout."
    "We focused on local issues such as the Wayanad landslide in our campaign, while the UDF emphasised family politics and national concerns," he told PTI.
    BJP state general secretary M T Ramesh said that the decline in voter turnout will affect the UDF, but it will not affect them in any way.
    "We will improve our vote share as the party is receiving votes from some Christian communities, which traditionally vote for the UDF," he added.
    Despite a fierce triangular contest in the Palakkad by-election, the voter turnout barely crossed 70 per cent, raising concerns for parties.
    Although the turnout dropped to 70.51 per cent from 75.37 per cent in 2021, the CPI(M), Congress, and BJP have all expressed confidence in winning the seat.
    The BJP camp is optimistic about the turnout in its strong hold Palakkad municipality, while the UDF and LDF are concerned about the dip in polling in the panchayats.
    BJP state president K Surendran said that the saffron party-led NDA will win Palakkad this time.
    "NDA will win with a comfortable margin and the party's C Krishnakumar will go to the Assembly," he said.
    However, Congress leader Shafi Parambil, MP, claimed that the UDF will secure a five-digit majority in Palakkad.
    "If an MLA goes to the Kerala Assembly after the elections, it will be UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil," he told reporters in Palakkad on Thursday.
    Palakkad went to the by-election after three-time sitting MLA Shafi Parambil was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Vadakara constituency in the 2024 general elections.
    The LDF, which is working hard to make a comeback in Palakkad, believes its experience with Dr P Sarin, former digital media cell convener of KPCC, will make an impact.
    CPI(M) central committee member and former MP N N Krishnadas expressed the view that the Palakkad by-election would be the first step towards the LDF government's third term.
    Chelakkara Assdembly seat recorded a voter turnout of 72.51 per cent this time, compared to 77.40 per cent in 2021.
    Former MLA U R Pradeep is the CPI(M) candidate in the Chelakkara by-election. Former MP Ramya Haridas of Congress and BJP's K Balakrishnan are also in the fray.
    The by-election in the Chelakkara Assembly constituency became necessary after K Radhakrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Alathur seat this year.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)