A neck-and-neck race is expected in Thrissur district as 73.69% polling has been recorded in the Assembly elections.
While 73.75 % women cast their votes, polling percentage of male voters is 73.63 and that of transgender voters is 41.30.
All the three fronts are busy evaluating various socio-politico-religious factors, which may be decisive in determining the result, as there is a dip of 4.05 in polling percentage compared to 2016.
In 2016 district recorded 77.74 % polling. However, a sizeable number of voters, including elderly persons, have cast their votes this year ignoring the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is considered that if there is a high polling percentage, it means more neutral voters have cast their votes. All the parties claim advantage of these votes.
In the last Lok Sabha election, Thrissur district recorded 78.36% polling. In 2016, when the LDF had a sweeping victory, there was 77.74% polling in the district. In 2011, the polling percentage was 74.88. The district recorded a polling percentage of 75.07 in the local body elections held in December.
All constituencies in the district, except Guruvayur, where there was no candidate for the NDA, and Thrissur recorded polling percentage above 70. Experts are confused over the low percent of polling in Thrissur.
There is a small dip in polling percentage in all constituencies. Polling percentages of various constituencies in 2016 and 2021 are: Chelakkara (79.21 and 75.75); Kunnamkulam (78.74 and 76.37); Guruvayur (73.05 and 68.40); Manalur (76.49 and 73.14); Wadakkanchery (80.47 and 76.07); Ollur (77.70 and 73.84); Thrissur (73.29 and 68.90); Nattika (76.22 and 71.30); Kaipamangalam (79.07 and 76.62); Irinjalakuda (77.53 and 74.73); Puthukkad (81.07 and 75.55); Chalakudy (78.60 and 72.62); Kodungallur (79.24 and 74.94).
Except for delay in starting polling in a few places due to technical problems of the electronic voting machines, the polling was problem-free in Thrissur district.
There are 26,12,032 voters, including 13,60,101 women, 12,51,885 men and 46 transgender, in 13 Assembly constituencies in the district. Of them 19,23,864 voters, including 10,02,661 women, 9,21,185 men, and 18 transgender voters cast their votes.
Prominent socio-political leaders and candidates came to cast votes early in the morning. All the candidates conducted tours of various booths in their respective constituencies.
Along with national and State political issues, personal influences of the candidates and communal polarisation have influence in voting rates. Consolidation of minority votes also will make an impact in Thrissur, where there is sizeable Christian and Muslim voters.
