With the Assembly segments coming under Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency witnessing a relatively high turnout of 76.9 percent, both the UDF and LDF have expressed their hopes about turning the tide in their favour.
The electioneering was incident free and peaceful across the constituency though some parts of Kodungallur and Kaipamangalam were earmarked as troubled by the Election Commission because of past incidents of violence. Additional security was ensured in all those places.
In the hill regions of Chalakudy and Angamaly constituencies, especially in Malakkapara-Vazhachal-Athirapilly belt, Central security forces were deployed in view of possible Maoist attacks. Though minor groups of tribals and other hill residents kept off from voting, fishermen in the coastal belt exercised their franchise in large numbers with Kaippamangalam witnessing 74.5 percent voting and Kondungallur 73.8 percent. An upbeat mood was visible in the Congress camp right from the morning with the high turnout of voters in its strongholds like Kunnathunadu and Aluva. In Kunnathunadu, the turnout was 81.5 percent while in Aluva, it was 78.6 percent. Angamaly witnessed 78.6 percent voting while Chalakudy Assembly segment witnessed 73.8 percent.
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LDF camp attributes the huge turnout to the wave created by its independent candidate and veteran actor Innocent. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate K.M. Nooruddin also hopes he can make deep inroads into the constituency.
While Mr Nooruddin exercised his franchise in Kaipamangalam, Mr Innocent voted at his home town Irinjalakkuda. UDF candidate P.C. Chacko was a voter of Ernakulam constituency and he voted at St. Alberts’ School in Kochi. BJP candidate B. Gopalakrishnan voted in Thrissur constituency.
Though the blistering heat prevented many from voting during the morning hours, the cloudy climate and subsequent mild rain helped voters to come out in large numbers during the afternoon hours for voting.
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