Bypolls to Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, Palakkad and Chelakkara on Nov 13, counting of votes on Nov 23rd 

NEW DELHI: By-elections have been announced in Palakkad and Chelakkara assembly constituencies and Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar informed in a press meet in Delhi that polling will be held on November 13 in all the three constituencies. The by-polls in Kerala were announced along with the dates of elections in the states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

Voting for the single-phase elections in Maharashtra will be held on November 20. Polling in Jharkhand will be held in two phases, with the first phase on November 13 and the second phase on November 20. The results of all polls will be out on November 23. Only 28 days left for the by-elections in Kerala.

By-elections in Wayanad became necessary after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat. The by-elections are necessitated after Shafi Parambi of Congress in Palakkad and K Radhakrishnan of CPM in Chelakkara became MPs. Wayanad and Palakkad are sitting seats of UDF.

Both LDF and UDF will play strategies to retain the present seat and capture others. BJP is aiming for the success of the 'Thrissur Model' by fielding the best candidates.

Priyanka in Wayanad
The Congress has announced the candidature of Priyanka Gandhi in Wayanad. Preparations for Priyanka's glittering success have begun. The responsibilities of the assembly constituencies have been distributed to the MPs and MLAs. The seat is for the CPI in the LDF. The CPI is looking for someone popular at the national level. A LDF meeting is being held on October 17. NDA will come up with strategies to perform better by defending both fronts. They will field a strong candidate again.

Tough fight in Chelakkara
Since 1996, the constituency has been with the CPM. Former MLA U R Pradeep is almost certain to be the candidate. It is hoped that Pradeep's personal relationships and his experience as a former public representative will be favourable.

The names of former Congress MP Ramya Haridas and K A Tulasi are heard. The name of former district panchayat president K V Dasan is also heard. All three are familiar in the constituency.

In NDA, the names of Thiruvilwamala ex-panchayat president Balakrishnan and T N Sarasu are heard.

Fierce battle in Palakkad
The names of Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil, KPCC vice president V T Balram and KPCC social media convener Dr P Sarin are in the discussions of Congress. A group is also demanding that K Muraleedharan be fielded.

State general secretary C Krishna Kumar came first in the survey conducted for the winnable BJP candidate. Shobha Surendran came second. The possibility of state president K Surendran contesting cannot be ruled out.

The chances are for district panchayat president K Binumol of CPM. The names of DYFI state president V Wasif, district panchayat member Safdar Sharif and T K Naushad have also been given to the state committee by the district committee.