Though the enthusiastic crowd at many polling booths across Pathanamthitta on Tuesday initially gave out an impression of a higher turnout on Tuesday than the local body elections in 2015, the numbers tell a different story.
As per preliminary estimates, the overall polling percentage in Pathanamthitta is 69.74% as against 72.8% recorded in 2015. Though COVID-19 had upended campaign traditions and its impact is still being felt, the turnout decline was much lesser than expected for the three major fronts.
They, however, appeared cautiously optimistic as to what effect it would have on the final outcome.
Among the eight blocks, the highest voting percentage was reported in Konni at 71.24%, followed by Pandalam with 70.46%. The turnout recorded by these blocks during the previous election were 73.72% and 74.47% respectively.
“That the people have turned up in huge numbers braving the fear of the pandemic is a signal that it will a landslide for the United Democratic Front,” said Babu George, president, Pathanamthitta District Congress Committee.
Expected lines
He said the voter turnout was largely along expected lines while it was specifically in favour of the UDF in the municipalities.
The Left Democratic Front, on the other hand, maintained that the voter turnout was particularly low in areas where COVID-19 cases were higher. “The pattern of voting, however, did not reflect any anti-government tendencies despite the best attempts by the UDF and the NDA to tarnish its image. The actual turnout was indeed much higher when NRIs and deceased persons who feature in the voters’ list are taken into account,” said K. Ananthagopan, CPI(M) State committee member.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), meanwhile, said the polling percentage was indeed a few points lesser than anticipated. “We were expecting up to 78% but given the COVID-19 situation, it is still a relatively better figure,” said Ashokan Kulanada, BJP district president.
