The 14.71 lakh electors of Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency will vote to elect their new MP in the bypoll on Wednesday, six months after the general elections in April.
The month-long public campaigning by the three major fronts in the LS constituency, which comprises seven assembly segments – Sultan Bathery, Mananthavady, Kalpetta, Thiruvambady, Ernad, Wandoor and Nilambur – witnessed a grand culmination on Monday.
On the day of silent campaigning on Tuesday, UDF candidate Priyanka Gandhi stayed at Taj Hotel, Padinjarathara on Tuesday. On Monday, she had taken part in a mega kottikalasam at Sultan Bathery and Thiruvambady with brother Rahul Gandhi. She will leave Kerala Wednesday noon after visiting a few polling booths.
As for LDF candidate Sathyan Mokeri, he continued his visits to Thiruvambady, Ernad, Wandoor, Nilambur and Kalpetta assembly constituencies on the day. Meanwhile, the LDF lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against circulation of the visuals of Priyanka praying at a church in Wayanad.
On the day, NDA candidate Navya Haridas visited the Bathery bishop house and called on the families in Thalapuzha, who had received the Waqf Board notice claiming land ownership.
The by-election was necessitated after sitting MP Rahul, who won from Raebareli and Wayanad in the April elections, withdrew as Wayanad MP. The bypoll marks Priyanka’s foray into electoral politics.
All arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the bypoll in Chelakkara constituency.
On Tuesday, Thrissur district collector Arjun Pandiyan, who is also the district electoral officer, reviewed the polling arrangements in Chelakkara. He also flagged off the vehicles carrying polling materials and officers to the booths.
The vehicles have been installed with GPS devices which can be monitored by sectoral officers. The collector visited the central control room set up at Cheruthuruthy PWD Rest House. The constituency has a total of 180 polling booths. Webcasting facility has been arranged in all polling booths to ensure transparency in the entire process. Out of 180 booths, 14 polling booths have been identified as vulnerable. Additional police officers have been deployed for protection of polling officers and voters in such booths. Five booths have been designated as model polling booths.
Facilities like proper drinking water, ramps for movement of physically challenged people, complete adherence to green protocol etc will be followed in model polling booths. The booth at A block of Chelakkara Little Flowers Convent High School will be managed completely by women polling officers.
Over 600 police officers have been deployed for the smooth conduct of polling in Chelakkara. A total of 216 ballet units and control units and 234 VVPAT machines will be used for election process on Wednesday.