ALAPPUZHA: The NDA has alleged that there was cross-voting by the UDF in favour of the LDF to defeat the BDJS candidate in Kuttanad. The UDF men had abandoned their booths in the afternoon on the polling day for this purpose, BJP district president K. Soman told Deccan Chronicle on Tuesday.
The NDA had high hopes of the lotus blooming in Kuttanad, especially after the campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the constituency. The BDJS had focussed on the majority Hindu votes, especially 30 percent Ezhavas. An increase in the polling percentage to 79.21 from 78. 6 last time has prompted the NDA camp to hope for victory of its candidate Subhash Vasu.
In the 2011 election, the BJP had got just 4,395 votes while sitting MLA Thomas Chandy (LDF) secured 60,010 and UDF’s K.C. Joseph 52.039. In the local body election, the BJP, without an alliance with the BDJS, had got 18,000-21,000 votes from 13 panchayats.
As per the data with the Kuttanad SNDP union , there are as many as 20,000 Ezhava families in the constituency (55,000 estimated votes). However, the majority are CPM supporters. The BDJS has to make inroads into this section to gain majority.
