Parties on eleventh hour spree to ensure non-resident Keralites votes

KOZHIKODE: The votes of non-resident Keralites are decisive in many constituencies in Malabar as a large number of them work outside the state in the country and abroad. Therefore, political parties are campaigning to ensure their participation in the polling. Many voters, including students, are staying in metros like Bangalore and Mumbai and other cities like Mysore and Coimbatore.

“They are keen on exercising their franchise and we help them come here and also arrange for their return travel. Efforts are made from the booth level to identify the NRKs in these cities,” said a poll manager. Once the NRKs are identified, the partymen collect their details and pass them to the workers in the area who ensure their presence.

There are also groups in WhatsApp and Facebook that connect with the maximum number of people in the area to vote for a particular candidate. The NRKs in the Gulf even charter special flights to bring the voters of Malabar on the polling day and send them back.