THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘Nemom, the cynosure of all eyes this assembly election for the thrilling three-cornered fight it offers, recorded a voter turnout of 69.80 per cent, with the three major fronts -- LDF, UDF and NDA -- exuding confidence of a win.The votes polled in Nemom was nearly four per cent less compared to the votes polled in the segment in the Lok Sabha election. The turnout also showed a dip of around five per cent from that witnessed in the 2016 assembly election.
According to reports, the polling in urban pockets was less compared to other areas of the constituency. Brisk polling was seen in areas with a high presence of minority voters, a trend that has left the NDA a bit worried. NDA candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan, who has been tasked with retaining the only sitting seat of the BJP, sounded confident.
“Besides our assured votes, we have also been able to gain the confidence of neutral voters as well in large numbers. Nemom will once again repose its faith in the BJP,” the former Mizoram Governor and BJP state president told TNIE.However, sitting MLA O Rajagopal’s statements to media on the polling day put the BJP in a spot again. Asked about the election scene in the constituency, Rajagopal said, apart from being an MLA from Nemom, he has no other link to the constituency.
The veteran leader also condemned the violent incident in which UDF candidate K Muraleedharan’s car came under attack, allegedly from BJP supporters. On the Congress leader’s charge that BJP workers attacked him fearing defeat, Rajagopal said if Muraleedharan had spoken on those lines, it may be true.
Meanwhile, Muraleedharan reiterated his charge of vote trading between the CPM and the BJP. “The votes polled by the UDF last time will be our margin of victory this time,” he said.
He said the UDF was able to win the trust of all sections of people in the constituency. The BJP will lose its lone sitting seat when the election results are announced, Muraleedharan added. LDF candidate V Sivankutty was unavailable for comment. But an aide close to him said the LDF has pinned its hopes on the high voter turnout in pockets dominated by minority communities.
NEMOM - VOTING PATTERN
Year Polling % Advantage
2021 (Assembly) 69.80 ?
2019 (Lok Sabha) 73.31 BJP
2016 (Assembly) 74.11 BJP
2014 (Lok Sabha) 68.18 BJP
2011 (Assembly) 67.49 CPM