Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Kerala constituency profile: Will UDF make LDF bite the dust again in Palakkad?
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Mar 20, 2024, 5:26 PM ISTThe upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Palakkad, Kerala, promise an intense contest between the Congress, represented by sitting MP VK Sreekandan, and the CPI(M), with A Vijayaraghavan as their candidate. BJP's C Krishna Kumar, aiming to repeat his 2019 performance, adds to the competitive landscape.
Which way will Palakkad sway in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections? With Congress's VK Sreekandan securing victory in 2019 and defeating CPI(M)'s MB Rajesh for the second consecutive term, the constituency remains a focal point of excitement once again.
Palakkad emerged as a significant battleground in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, marking an unexpected setback for the Left. The CPI(M) candidate, MB Rajesh, who had previously secured a hat-trick victory, faced tough competition from VK Sreekandan of the Indian National Congress and C Krishnakumar of the BJP. Despite a substantial voter turnout of 77.77% from a total of 13,23,010 voters, the constituency witnessed intense political engagement, with 10,19,337 individuals exercising their voting rights.
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In the 2019 elections, Palakkad witnessed one of the closest contests in Kerala, with VK Sreekandan emerging victorious with 399,274 votes. Sreekandan secured the win with a narrow majority of 11,637 votes, marking the second-lowest margin of victory in the state.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, MB Rajesh's vote share decreased from 45.36% to 39.17% compared to the previous elections. Despite an increase in the total number of voters from 9,10,322 to 13,23,010, Rajesh received fewer votes, securing 3,87,637 votes in 2019 compared to 4,12,897 votes in 2014. In 2014, Rajesh won the constituency with a substantial margin of 1,05,300 votes, ultimately losing to VK Sreekandan of the UDF in 2019.
In Kerala's Palakkad Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress strategy revolves around re-nominating the incumbent MP VK Sreekandan to secure the popular vote once more. Sreekandan, who secured victory over MB Rajesh in 2019, is contesting again for the UDF. Meanwhile, the CPM has fielded Central Committee member A Vijayaraghavan to regain the constituency.
In 1989, A Vijayaraghavan emerged victorious in Palakkad. Once again, C Krishna Kumar is the BJP candidate, attempting to test his luck in the constituency. In the 2019 elections, Krishna Kumar secured 2,18,556 votes for the BJP in Palakkad.
Palakkad Lok Sabha Constituency consists of Pattambi, Shoranur, Ottapalam, Kongad, Mannarkkad, Malampuzha and Palakkad assembly constituencies. Five of these seats are in the hands of the Left.
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