The Chalakudy Lok Sabha seat is set to spring surprises for the United Democratic Front (UDF), a Manorama News-VMR pre-poll survey predicted.
The survey predicts a massive 10.8 per cent dip in UDF’s votes and a similar gain of 10.7 per cent votes for other parties. Other parties and independents are likely to garner 12.88 per cent votes, of which 11.8 per cent falls in Twenty20’s kitty.
This means the UDF’s vote share is expected to plunge to 37 per cent. As Twenty20 is seen grabbing most of the votes from the UDF, even an upset win that will topple the UDF candidate can’t be ruled out, as per the survey.
The LDF is also expected to dip in voting percentage from 2.32 per cent to 32.14 per cent. The NDA is expected to get 17.98 per cent votes.
The LS seat has seven assembly constituencies - Kaypamangalam, Kodungallor, Chalakkudy, Angamali, Aluva, Perumbavoor and Kunnathunadu.
Most of these segments have UDF legislators. Benny Behanan became the Chalakkudy MP after being a legislator in the Kerala Assembly twice. In 2019, he defeated sitting MP Innocent by a thumping margin of 1,32,274 votes. Senior BJP leader N N Radhakrishnan came third with 1,52,150 votes.
This time, the BJP has allocated the seat to BDJS, who has put up K A Unnikrishnan as its candidate. Former education minister C Raveendranath is the CPM candidate taking on Behanan.
The Manorama News-VMR survey was conducted in March and had 28,000 respondents. The query it posed to potential voters was this: Who would win if elections were to be held today?
