Palakkad By-Poll: A Crucial Electoral Battle Amidst Controversies

The Palakkad assembly by-poll in Kerala started with a low voter turnout, gradually picking up as the day progressed. This election features key candidates from Congress, BJP, and CPI(M). Controversies have marred the campaigning, making it a pivotal election for the Congress-led UDF to retain its seat.

The Palakkad assembly by-poll in Kerala witnessed a sluggish start, recording just 1.11% voter turnout at 8 am, eventually rising to 6.76% by 8:30 am, as per the Election Commission's data.

Voters began heading to 184 polling booths spread across the constituency early in the morning. The area, with over 1.9 lakh registered voters, is set to decide among 10 candidates, including significant figures like Congress's Rahul Mamkootathil, BJP's C. Krishnakumar, and CPI(M)'s P. Sarin.

This by-election arose when Congress leader Shafi Parambil stepped down as MLA upon his election to the Lok Sabha. The voting unfolded under stringent security, featuring central security forces, police deployment, and live webcasting to closely monitor proceedings. However, controversies loomed over the election, from allegations of black money to political defections and negative ads, thus heightening its importance, particularly for the Congress-led UDF.

(With inputs from agencies.)