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194 candidates contest as state prepares for polls with 2.75+ crore voters

Kerala gears up for elections with 194 candidates contesting across 20 Lok Sabha seats, seeking support from over 2.75 crore voters. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul ensures election integrity with 63,100 ink bottles to prevent fraudulent voting among the 2,77,49,159 voters, including over five lakh first-time voters. Kottayam boasts the highest candidate count at 14, while Alathur has the lowest at five, with notable figures in Kozhikode, Kollam, and Kannur.

Of the 194 contestants, 169 are men and 25 are women, with Vadakara constituency featuring the most female candidates at four. The Election Commission ensures security with 66,303 personnel across 25,231 polling booths, deploying Kerala Police and Central forces to maintain peace. As voting begins, over five lakh first-time voters participate, following the conclusion of a month-long campaign marked by diverse issues.

The election landscape sees active campaigning with various issues like CAA implementation, ‘love jihad’ allegations, ‘The Kerala Story’ controversies, Manipur violence, Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy in Wayanad, and minority appeasement debates dominating discussions. In the previous polls, UDF secured 19 seats while LDF won one seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

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