Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Lukewarm polling in Kerala's hot seat of Thrissur leaves pundits puzzled

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Apr 28, 2024, 12:02 PM IST

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: There are concerns among political fronts in Kerala's Thrissur constituency over a 6% decrease in polling compared to 2019, despite fierce competition and campaigning. Official figures indicate a 71.27% polling rate in the state, expected to increase further with home and postal votes.

Thrissur: Thrissur emerged as one of the most fiercely contested constituencies in Kerala during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections that took place on Friday, April 26. The election in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency was characterized by a strong triangular contest. The candidates included K Muraleedharan from the Congress representing the UDF, VS Sunil Kumar from the CPI representing the LDF, and Suresh Gopi from the BJP representing the NDA. Predictions for Thrissur became increasingly challenging as the polling percentage decreased, making it difficult to forecast the outcome. All three political fronts express optimism and hope for success in the constituency.

Thrissur also experienced a decrease in polling figures, reflecting a trend observed across all Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. While the polling average in Kerala stands at 71.27%, the official figure for Thrissur is slightly higher at 72.79%. In comparison, previous voter turnouts for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency were recorded at 69.43% in 2009, 72.20% in 2014, and 77.92% in 2019. This time, however, there was a notable shortfall of more than five percent in voter turnout.

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Despite the conclusion of polling, the competition among political fronts in Thrissur remains intense. The UDF anticipates that improved polling in minority-influenced areas will work in their favor. Conversely, the Left hopes to secure victory by leveraging VS Sunil Kumar's influence alongside their basic voter support of 32 percent. Meanwhile, the BJP is banking on the support of women voters and youth to bolster their prospects in the constituency.

The official polling figures stand at 71.27 percent in the state of Kerala, with expectations of further increase in the final tally after the inclusion of home votes and postal votes. Despite the fierce competition and extensive campaigning, there is concern among political fronts regarding the 6% decrease in polling compared to 2019. While delays in the polling process and heat have been cited as contributing factors, front leaders and candidates are striving to instill confidence by asserting that all conditions remain favorable. In the 2019 elections, UDF candidate TN Prathapan emerged victorious in Thrissur with a majority of 93,633 votes.

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