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Kerala By-election: Wayanad Voter Turnout Drops, Chelakkara Sees 72.77%

The by-elections for Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha and Chelakkara Assembly constituencies saw notable contrasts in voter turnout, with Wayanad reporting a significant decline. Wayanad recorded only 64.72% turnout, markedly lower than previous years, while Chelakkara reached 72.77% as of 8 PM. Some Chelakkara polling booths saw long queues post-voting hours, indicating heightened participation. Minor disruptions were reported in the morning in both constituencies due to technical glitches with voting machines, but issues were quickly resolved.

In Wayanad, turnout remained low across all regions throughout the day, with minimal activity even after closing time at 6 PM. Detailed figures showed individual constituency turnouts ranging from 61.91% in Nilambur to 66.39% in Thiruvambady. Chelakkara, by contrast, surpassed previous voting benchmarks, exceeding the turnout of the 2021 Assembly elections. By 6:30 PM, over 1,54,356 votes had been cast, surpassing the prior total of 1,53,673 votes.

Political leaders expressed differing interpretations of the turnout trends. UDF’s V.D. Satheesan remained optimistic, asserting that the reduced turnout would not impact their majority, expecting an even larger margin than in 2019. NDA candidate Navya Haridas suggested the lower turnout in Wayanad reflected dissatisfaction with the UDF, while LDF’s Sathyan Mokeri criticized Rahul Gandhi’s engagement with local issues and accused the UDF of focusing on sentimental rather than substantive political appeals.

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