KOCHI: A high voter turnout in constituencies witnessing tight contests — including Kochi, Kunnathunad, Kalamassery, Perumbavoor and Tripunithura — has bolstered the confidence of all three fronts in Ernakulam district. While the Congress-led UDF hopes to increase its tally to 12, the CPM-led LDF is confident of retaining the five seats it won in 2021.
Kunnathunad, where UDF’s V P Sajeendran is pitted against LDF’s sitting MLA P V Sreenijin, recorded a voter turnout of 83.09%. The NDA fielded Babu Divakaran in the constituency.
In Kalamassery, where Industries Minister P Rajeeve is contesting, the voter turnout is 81.89%. The IUML has fielded V E Abdul Gafoor, the son of former minister V K Ebrahimkunju, in the constituency. The other two constituencies that witnessed close contests, Kochi and Tripunithura, have recorded 80.33% and 81.4% polling, respectively.
In Kochi, Congress’ Ernakulam district president Mohammed Shiyas is taking on sitting MLA K J Maxy, while in Tripunithura, the contest is between LDF’s K N Unnikrishnan and Kochi Deputy Mayor Deepak Joy.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said there would be little surprise if the UDF makes a clean sweep in five districts, including Ernakulam.
“In Kunnathunad, the UDF will win by a huge margin. Twenty20 will end up in third place. In Kochi, the UDF candidate’s campaign has not faltered anywhere. The DCC president contested in a seat where the CPM had won by a margin of 23,000 votes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Perumbavoor constituency has recorded 80.40% voter turnout.
For the Left, the aim is to retain the five seats — Kalamassery, Kochi, Vypeen, Kunnathunad and Kothamangalam. N Arun, the CPI Ernakulam district secretary, said the voting percentage is similar to the previous election.
“In 2021 too, Kunnathunad had the highest voter turnout. SIR is a factor in the percentage of real votes being high this time,” he said. Earlier, addressing the media, CPM Ernakulam district secretary S Satheesh too expressed confidence in retaining the seats.
According to a senior Congress leader in the district, the UDF has high chances in 12 constituencies, barring Kalamassery and Kochi.
“In Kalamassery and Kochi, the contest is close. We have put in the effort and hope to win those seats too. We have done a good job in constituencies like Tripunithura and Vypeen as well,” he said.