KERALA BYPOLL

Palakkad bypoll: A campaign amid defections, double vote & black money claims ends today

Palakkad: After a series of political twists and dramatic developments, the campaign for the Palakkad byelection will conclude on Monday, a day ahead of the polling date on November 20. The election, which captured statewide attention, has seen an intense battle between key candidates and political parties, with last-minute surprises and strategies.

The main contest is between Rahul Mamkootathil (UDF), the Youth Congress state president; Dr P Sarin (LDF), an independent candidate backed by the CPM; and C Krishnakumar, BJP's former state general secretary.

The constituency has become a hotspot for political activity, with controversies such as party-switching by leaders, allegations of black money, and suspicions of bogus voting grabbing headlines. National and state leaders, including prominent figures from all major alliances, visited Palakkad to boost their respective candidates.

Sarin's switch & candidacy
The Palakkad bypoll scene witnessed renewed vigour with former Congress digital media head P Sarin's defection to the LDF camp. The CPM quickly moved in to secure Sarin, who was disillusioned by Congress’s decision to choose Rahul Mamkootathil over him as the candidate in Palakkad.

The 'blue trolley'
The late-night police raid in hotel rooms of Congress leaders, including Shanimol Usman and Bindu Krishna, midway through the campaign, on suspicions that cash might be used to sway the byelection in Palakkad, was yet another significant development. Though no money was found, the incident fuelled a major controversy. The UDF turned the raid into a campaign advantage, instructing Mamkootathil to connect with voters directly and frame the raid as an organised political attack by the CPM. Although the CPM claimed the police failed to seize the alleged black money and asserted that Mamkootathil had taken off with it in a blue trolley bag, the party struggled to capitalise on the controversy.

Double vote
Meanwhile, the discovery that BJP Palakkad district president KM Haridas’ name appeared in two polling booths briefly disrupted the BJP’s campaign. C Krishnakumar, the NDA candidate in Palakkad, clarified that Haridas had filed an application to avoid duplication, but no action was taken. The BJP also accused the CPM of adding fake voters to the rolls, alleging the inclusion of approximately 20,000 fake votes in the Palakkad constituency.

Sandeep's defection
Another surprise in the Palakkad bypoll scene was the switch of Sandeep G Varier, one of BJP's most popular spokespersons in the state, to the Congress. For the Congress, it is hoping Varier will hurt the BJP in the byelection, if not the organisation. His references to the 'CPM-BJP nexus', murder of RSS leader Sreenivasan, Karuvannur cooperative bank and Kodakara hawala are being closely watched.

The Palakkad bypoll was necessitated after MLA Shafi Parambil won the Lok Sabha election from Vadakara. In the 2021 state elections, E Sreedharan, the BJP candidate, lost to Shafi Parambil by just 3,859 votes.

Over the past month, rallies, house-to-house visits, and roadshows have dominated the city and surrounding areas. Youth and student organizations have played a pivotal role in energizing campaigns, while social media has been heavily used to engage voters.

Hotels in Palakkad city and surrounding areas are fully booked until November 20, the polling day. The results will be announced just three days after the election, on November 23.

After an intense month-and-a-half-long campaign, the political fronts are gearing up for a grand finale today. Candidates from Chelakkara and Wayanad, where elections were recently held, have also joined the campaign in Palakkad to provide an additional push. Meanwhile, the police have implemented strict security measures to prevent any untoward incidents as excitement and tensions run high.