Wayanad, where Priyanka Gandhi made election debut, sees lowest-ever voter turnout
The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, where the bypoll was held on Wednesday, recorded the lowest voter turnout of 64.72 per cent for the seat since its formation in 2009, reported The Indian Express.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contested the elections for the first time from Wayanad, after the bypoll had to be conducted since Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat in favour of keeping the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
Bypolls were also held in the Chelakkara assembly seat in Thrissur, where the voter turnout (72.54 per cent) was much higher than in Wayanad.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is contesting against senior CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri and the BJP’s Navya Haridas. The significant drop in voter turnout has also come after the Congress campaigned for a “majority of 5 lakh votes” for Priyanka Gandhi.
The Congress-led UDF dismissed any concerns that the reduced voter turnout would affect their projected margin for Priyanka Gandhi, reported news agency PTI.
The leader of the opposition in the assembly, VD Satheesan, stated that the low turnout was due to a lack of enthusiasm among voters in CPI(M)- dominated areas.
To garner support from voters, AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Deepa Dasmuni accompanied Priyanka Gandhi for corner meetings in the constituency. Also, they ensured that MLAs were present on ground during her campaign, reported The Indian Express.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee office bearers also helped Gandhi with panchayat-level campaigning.
Senior Congress leaders, such as party president Mallikarjun Kharge, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, and Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, also led Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s campaign.
The polling in the constituency was held only months after Wayanad witnessed a landslide, which killed 231 persons and left 47 others still missing. Polling booths for the survivors from affected villages of Mundakkai, Chooralmala and Attamala were arranged in Meppadi.