Campaign concludes peacefully in Wayanad

Roadshow of the LDF at Kalpetta on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Campaign for the Lok Sabha elections concluded peacefully in Wayanad on Wednesday evening.

Electioneering reached a feverish pitch during the final hours. Candidates went on final whistle-stop tours across local bodies. Rallies, roadshows, street plays, and processions were taken out by political parties in Kalpetta town.

Similar rallies were held in other parts of the Wayanad constituency that spreads over the three districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad.

“All arrangements are in place for the polls,” District Collector and District Election Officer Renu Raj said. A total of 14,64,472 voters, including 7,41,354 women, are expected to exercise their franchise in the constituency.

Most voters are in the Wandoor segment (2,32,839), while Thiruvambady (183283) has the lowest number of voters.

A total of nine candidates are in the fray in the constituency, and two of them are women.

There are 1,329 polling stations, including two auxiliary polling stations, in the constituency. As many as 189 stations are special security stations, three are affected stations, and two of them are vulnerable stations, Ms. Raj said.

A total of 49 model polling stations have been set up in the district. The police have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure hassle-free polling. Apart from the State police force, Central forces have also been deployed.

A total of 1,863 security personnel, including 1,007 members of the State police, have been deployed in the district, the Collector said. Special forces would be deployed where recurring Maoist threats are reported, she added.