Polling begins for Wayanad, Chelakkara bye-elections in Kerala

Polling commenced at the high-profile Lok Sabha constituency in Wayanad on the dot at 7 A.M, on Wednesday morning, when voters were seen queuing up in good numbers even before the polling began.

At Wayanad there are 16 candidates in the fray and in the seven Assembly constituencies spread over three districts - Wayanad, Malapurram and Kozhikode - there are 14.71 lakh voters.

After an hour around seven per cent of the votes had been polled.

The high-profile constituency has AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi facing her debut election, while the CPI has brought in battle-scarred 71-year-old veteran and former legislator Sathyan Mokeri and the BJP has fielded computer engineer-turned-sitting Kozhikode Councillor Navya Haridas.

Incidentally, Priyanka Gandhi has been staying put at the constituency for the past few days and on Wednesday before returning to Delhi she will visit two or three polling booths.

The highlight has been the good presence of women early in the morning and at a few booths reports have come in that there has been a delay following issues with the polling machine.

Polling will come to a close at 6 P.M at both the constituencies.

At Wayanad, the election was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi, who retained his seat - though by a reduced margin as compared to the 2019 polls, decided to vacate it to hold on to the family borough of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.

Sensing a backlash from the people in Wayanad for dumping the seat, the Congress sprang a surprise when they decided to field his sister and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi for her debut election.

Over the past three weeks, she, along with Rahul Gandhi and their mother and former party chief Sonia Gandhi, has won the hearts of many, making her victory seem like a cakewalk, as the only talk in the constituency among the Congress leaders manning her election campaign is their targeted victory margin of over five lakh.

Meanwhile, at Chelakkara, after an hour around 7 per cent votes have been cast and this is one bye-election which will decide on how strongly Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan amid perceived anti-incumbency is going to perform.

At Chelakkara there are six candidates and for the CPI-M this is a high stake poll battle as this seat has been a stronghold for the CPI-M since 1996, which they have been wining.

The CPI-M has fielded former party legislator U.R. Pradeep (2016-21), while the Congress has brought in Ramya Haridas, who lost to State Minister for SC/ST K.Radhakrishnan in the contest for the Alathur Lok Sabha seat.

Following Radhakrishnan’s victory, he vacated the Chelakkara Assembly seat, paving the way for the bye-election.

The BJP has fielded local leader K. Balakrishnan and also playing spoilsport is P.V. Anvar, the sitting Independent legislator who split ranks with the CPI-M-led Left to form his own party.