The higher voter turnout in the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency has left political fronts with little clue as to which way the wind is blowing.
According to figures provided by the State Election Commission as on 10.10 p.m., Chalakudy registered a polling percentage of 79.94 compared to 76.86% turnout in 2014.
Among the Assembly constituencies, the poll percentage was: Kaipamangalam (79.30), Chalakudy (77.74), Kodungallur (78.78), Perumbavoor (81.69), Angamaly (79.15), Aluva (80.38), and Kunnathunad (83.79).
LDF campaign managers seem confident of maintaining their supremacy earned in the 2016 Assembly election in Kaipamangalam, Chalakudy, and Kodungallur. LDF candidates had then won with a majority of 33,440, 26, 648 and 22,791 votes respectively over UDF candidates. Innocent, who defeated P.C. Chacko of the UDF in 2014, had enjoyed lead in Kaipamangalam, Kodungallur, Perumbavoor, and Kunnathunad.
The UDF camp is hopeful of wresting the constituency going by the higher turnout in its traditional strongholds that include Perumbavoor, Angamaly, and Aluva. It is also confident of making major inroads into Chalakudy where the front had a majority of 617 votes in 2014.
The polling percentage of 81.69 in Perumbavoor and 80.38 in Aluva has also boosted their expectations. In the 2016 Assembly election, the front had won Aluva with a majority of 18,835 votes, while the corresponding figure in Perumbavoor was 7,088.
However, the surge in voter turnout (82.93%) in the Kunnathunadu Assembly constituency this time has left both fronts with their fingers crossed. The impact of the political position taken by the Twenty20 Kizhakkamabalam, which governs the Kizhakkambalam grama panchayat, will be known only after the votes are counted on May 23.
The political outfit had taken a stance against Benny Behanan of the UDF after its attempt to field Jacob Thomas, former DGP, failed. But the Congress leaders ruled out such undercurrents, saying they would not play spoilsport. The BJP, which had earned 10.49% vote share in the 2014 polls, vouch that the Sabarimala controversy will play a crucial role in the outcome going by the higher turnout in all Assembly constituencies.
