Palakkad Lok Sabha Constituency: Is Growing BJP A Threat To CPM, Congress In Kerala Seat?

Kerala assembly and parliamentary polls have been a nightmare for the BJP. Though the saffron party has increased its vote share in many seats, it's yet to bag a Parliamentary seat in the state. However, the saffron party is having a ray of hope this time in the Palakkad seat where the ruling CPM and the Congress are locked in a tough battle. The seat has been a stronghold of the Left party since 1996 but the ruling Left Democratic Front was in for a shock in 2019 when the Congress candidate V K Sreekandan bagged the seat surprising everyone. The Congress had won 19 of the 20 seats in the state in the previous parliamentary polls. 

BJP's Golden Chance?

The BJP is smelling a victory in the seat buoyed by its performance in the municipal body. The BJP had won 28 councillor seats in the Palakkad town’s 52-member municipality. The BJP is hoping to increase its vote share to emerge victorious in the seat where it bagged over 21 per cent of total votes in the previous poll. Last time, Sreekandan had bagged around 39% of the votes while the CPM's MB Rajesh stood second with around 38% votes. Now, if the BJP manages to increase its vote share by 15-20%, which is tough but not impossible, then the party might bag the seat.

Triangular Contest On Cards?

The LDF has this time fielded CPI(M) leader A Vijayaraghavan, while the BJP has re-fielded its 2019 candidate C Krishnakumar, who is also the party's state general secretary. While the LDF is betting on its welfare policies and efficient handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BJP candidate Krishnakumar has been working hard to solidify his ground amid the fact that the party has increased its vote share in the last two polls, from 15% in 2014 to 21% in 2019. He is also confident that 'Modi Ki Guarantee' will help him clear the hurdle this time. On the other hand, the sitting MP and Congress candidate Sreekandan is looking to retain the seat based on his performance. Sreekandan has been closely working in his constituency to carry out various works using the MPLAD fund. 

Palakkad: An Overview 

The Palakkad parliamentary constituency is made up of seven assembly seats - Palakkad, Pattambi, Shoranur, Ottapalam, Kongad (SC), Mannarkkad and Malampuzha. In the 2021 assembly polls, the CPI(M) had bagged five of the seven seats. The seat has witnessed strong campaigns from Jana Sangh and the RSS which has helped the BJP build a strong cadre base. The seat has around 13 lakh voters and has recorded around 80 per cent voting in 2019.