Kottayam: Chandy Oommen, son of late Congress leader Oommen Chandy, will win the Puthuppally by-election by a healthy margin, garnering 53 per cent of polled votes, and retain the constituency for the United Democratic Front, the Axis My India exit poll has predicted.
According to the survey, Oommen will get a majority of more than 18,000 votes (14 per cent) while his rival Jaick C Thomas of the Left Democratic Front will get only 39 per cent votes.
The Axis My India exit poll was conducted by meeting 509 voters who cast their votes at various booths in the constituency. The exit poll results were released ahead of the counting of votes on Friday.
The survey assessed that UDF candidate Oommen will secure 53 per cent of the votes, LDF candidate Jaick will get 39 per cent of the votes and BJP candidate Lijin Lal will get 5 per cent of the votes. Others will get only 3 per cent of the votes.
Voting percentage of 72.86%
A total of 1,76,412 people cast their votes in the Puthuppally by-election, necessitated by the passing away of two-time chief minister Oommen Chandy, who represented the constituency for 53 years on the trot. A polling percentage of 72.86 per cent was recorded in the bypoll. While Meenadom panchayat recorded the highest polling percentage (76.53%), Pampady polled the highest number of votes (20,557).
Total number of voters: 1,76,412
Males: 86,131
Females: 90,277
Transgenders: 4
Votes polled through Electronic Voting Machines: 1,28,538
Males: 64,078
Females: 64,455
Transgenders: 2
Polling percentage: 72.86%
Voting statistics panchayat-wide
Ayarkunnam
Total number of voters: 27,336
Votes polled: 19,516
Polling percentage: 71.39%
Akalakunnam
Total number of voters: 15,470
Votes polled: 11,120
Polling percentage: 71.8%
Kooroppada
Total number of voters: 21,882
Votes polled: 16,228
Polling percentage: 74.16%
Manarcaud
Total number of voters: 20,990
Votes polled: 15,364
Polling percentage: 73.20%
Pampady
Total number of voters: 28,103
Votes polled: 20,557
Polling percentage: 73.15%
Puthuppally
Total number of voters: 24,535
Votes polled: 18,005
Polling percentage: 73.38%
Meenadom
Total number of votes: 10,592
Votes polled: 8,106
Polling percentage: 76.53%
Vakathanam
Total number of voters: 27,504
Vote polled: 19,639
Polling percentage: 71.40%
Lowest polling booth
63.04% - booth No 49 - Government LPS (South Portion), Lakkattoor North – Kooroppada panchayat.
Highest polling booth
Booth No 132 – Puthuppally panchayat office
Those above 80 years of age and differently abled persons cast their votes through postal ballot. A total of 2,491 persons voted in this manner. In addition, there were 138 service votes. Taking all the votes polled into consideration, the final polling percentage in the constituency is 74.35%.
