Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 2: Stage set for high-octane battle in Kerala, BJP keen to open account
Voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls will be held on April 26 for 88 seats in 13 states with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a second-straight term from Wayanad in Kerala.
Kerala Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 2: The stage is set for a high-octane political battle in the southern state of Kerala as key figures like Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and V Muraleedharan enter the fray for the Lok Sabha Elections in phase 2 on April 26. With a lineup featuring seasoned politicians from diverse parties, the competition is expected to be fiercely contested. The BJP's ambition to secure an electoral win in the state, adds an extra layer of intensity to the race. The state, which has historically never elected a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker to Parliament, has seen a month-long fierce campaign by the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF, Congress-headed UDF, and the BJP-led NDA.
Over 2.75 crore voters to decide fate of 194 candidates
According to the Election Commission, Kerala has over 2.75 crore voters, and polling will commence at 7 am on Friday. Notably, there are 2,77,49,159 voters in the state this time, with more than five lakh being first-time voters.
In Kerala, a total of 194 candidates across 20 Lok Sabha seats are competing for voters' support as the state heads to the polls on Friday. Of the total 194 candidates, 169 are men and 25 are women.
In the upcoming elections, the Kottayam constituency stands out with the highest number of candidates, boasting 14 contenders, while Alathur has the fewest with five candidates. Noteworthy figures include 13 candidates in Kozhikode, and 12 each in Kollam and Kannur constituencies. Vadakara constituency distinguishes itself with the highest number of female candidates, totalling four.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the UDF won 19 of the 20 seats, while the LDF had to settle for just a single seat.
In this election, two union ministers, a state minister, three actors, and a few MLAs are among the candidates vying for electoral success. The BJP-led NDA is notably fielding the highest number of women candidates, totaling five.
The election campaigns have been characterized by a wide array of issues, including the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), allegations of 'love jihad', controversies surrounding the movie 'The Kerala Story', the Manipur violence incident, Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad, and accusations of minority appeasement by various political parties. These topics have dominated the public discourse during the high-decibel campaigning period.
Prominent candidates and key constituency to watch out
1. Wayanad (2019 Result: Congress, Winner: Rahul Gandhi, Margin: 4,31,770)
2024 candidates: Rahul Gandhi (Congress) Vs Annie Raja (CPI) Vs K Surendran (BJP)
2. Kannur (2019 Result: Congress, Winner: K Sudhakaran, Margin: 94,559)
2024 candidates: K Sudhakaran (Congress) Vs MV Jayarajan (CPM) Vs C Raghunath (BJP)
3. Alappuzha (2019 Result: CPM, Winner: AM Ariff, Margin: 10,474)
2024 candidates: KC Venugopal (Congress) Vs AM Ariff (CPM) Vs Sobha Surendran (BJP)
4. Thrissur (2019 Result: Congress, Winner: TN Prathapan, Margin: 93,633)
2024 candidates: K Muraleedharan (Congress) Vs VS Sunil Kumar (CPI) Vs Suresh Gopi (BJP)
5. Attingal (2019 Result: Congress, Winner: Adoor Prakash, Margin: 38,247)
2024 candidates: Adoor Prakash (Congress) Vs V Joy (CPM) Vs V Muraleedharan (BJP)
6. Pathanamthitta (2019 Result: Congress, Winner: Anto Antony, Margin: 44,243)
2024 candidates: Anto Antony (Congress) Vs Anil K Antony (BJP) Vs Dr TM Thomas Issac (CPM)
7. Thiruvananthapuram (2019 Result: Congress, Winner: Shashi Tharoor, Margin: 99,989)
2024 candidates: Shashi Tharoor (Congress) Vs Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BJP) Vs Pannian Ravindran (CPI)
8. Kollam (2019 Result: RSP, Winner: NK Premachandran, Margin: 1,48,856)
2024 candidates: NK Premachandran (RSP) Vs Mukesh Madhavan (CPM) Vs G Krishnakumar (BJP)
9. Kottayam (2019 Result: KCM, Winner: Thomas Chazhikadan, Margin: 1,06,259)
2024 candidates: Thomas Chazhikadan (KCM) Vs Thushar Vellappally (BDJS) Vs Advocate K Francis George (Kerala Congress)
10. Malappuram (2019 Result: IUML, Winner: PK Kunhalikutty, Margin: 2,60,153)
2024 candidates: ET Mohammed Basheer (IUML) Vs V Vaseef (CPM) Vs Dr M Abdul Salam (BJP)